Try to set aside time each day for a walk in nature.
Physically, a brisk walk outside gets your muscles moving, blood flowing, and your lungs breathing fresh air. The sunshine on your skin helps facilitate the creation of the essential Vitamin D.
Mentally, being outside helps relax our minds. Getting us away from our screens and close quarters of indoor living. Studies have even shown that being in “green space” improves our mood.
If you are spending time in nature alone, it’s also a great time for solitude. A critical time we need to be alone with our own thoughts.
Back To Nature
Going back through our evolutionary history, humans have never spent this much time indoors.
And of course, it was only until very recently that we not only spent our days indoors, but also staring at computer screens and other devices. Millions of years of our development were formed around our time outdoors in the natural environment.
So it should come as a surprise to no one that spending time back where “we belong” can be good for us.
I make a point of spending time outside every day. Even if the weather is bad, a 15-20 minute walk around the neighborhood can do you wonders.
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This post is Day 15 of 21 Days of Simple.
I used to go jogging in a local wood, but unfortunately I cannot do that anymore due to COVID-19. For me, avoiding infecting vulnerable people, either directly or indirectly, takes precedence over any personal health benefit derived by jogging in nature.
That’s very unfortunate that you don’t have quiet trails or parks to walk in nearby. I’ve avoided our main city trail, but there are lots of small trails or country roads that I can walk on.