What is the importance of your participation in outdoor recreational activities to yourself and to your family?

After spending time in your house/work with or without activity, you might want to go out and do your favorite outdoor recreation activities. Outdoor recreation offers you an opportunity to reduce the risk of mobility problems and to improve your overall metabolism.

Would you even not like to breathe fresh air as you discover the many wonders of nature?

Enjoy the following endless benefits of outdoor recreation:

1. Unplug from the daily grind

Today, almost every second of our daily life is about technology- from working with a computer in the office to countless hours of watching television at home. Going out for a walk or sitting in a park could give you the opportunity to unplug, rest, and reset. It will reduce the anxiety and stress associated with today’s on-demand society.

2. Improved physique

Well, outdoor recreation can be physically demanding but you can be sure that such activity will work different muscles better than the machines at the gym. The motion of outdoor activities works out your stabilizer muscles in different ways thus improving muscle tone and strength.

3. Improved focus and better sleep

You probably have an idea of how you feel tired at the end of the day due to various activities. Outdoor activities will change the way your body moves while exercising muscles and stimulating the mind. After such relaxation, it will be easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night so that you’ll be prepared to focus on the following day.

4. Develop new hobbies

Did you know that getting out is a great way of discovering new hobbies and passions? Get out to a new place, hike that new trail or play that new sport. These new activities will help to cultivate a passion for the activity and for the new environment as well.

5. Improved bonding

Outdoor recreation time is a bonding time. Outside, whether it is at a golf course or on a hiking trail, you cannot refrain from talking to other people. And when conversations begin, you’ll find the things you have in common with other people and this will be the begging of new friendships and new connections. The solitary activity will have turned into a social outing.

6. Better body

Outdoor activities offer you the benefits of muscular and cardiovascular fitness. It will also have the wholesome benefit of improving the functioning of your immune system. In fact, health professionals recommend that adults should have at least 100 minutes of aerobic activity every week.

7. The feel-good factor

When you engage in physical activity, your body produces feel-good hormones. These will help you to reduce stress and to mitigate possibilities of depression. Due to decreased stress and the overall wellness that comes from aerobic activity, you will have increased self-esteem.

8. It’s good for the economy

You heard it right. Outdoor activities pay off with economic benefits. If you regularly participate in outdoor activities, you will turn out to be more productive at work and this will lead to economic growth. Additionally, the conservation of natural outdoor recreation places increases property value.

9. Increased environmental awareness

Outdoor recreation will give you environmental benefits, including the benefit of increased environmental awareness. This can boost your involvement in environmental issues.

10. Lengthened lifespan

What do you think will be the result of good physical and mental health, and strong social ties? Your life span will be longer than it would have been without outdoor recreation.

Instead of going to the gym for a solitary workout, consider heading outside and taking an adventure walk. Whether you prefer to walk, run, climb, hike, canoe, or whatever it is that you like, breathe the fresh air while you can.

We may have a stay at home order, but that doesn’t

mean we need to stay inside. The weather is getting nice, and there are many health benefits to exercising outdoors. Remember, even when outdoors, to practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from others.

Here are some of the health benefits:

You will be happier. Exercising outdoors isn’t just good for your physical health. It helps with your mental health as well. Spending time in nature and the natural light can improve your mood and reduce stress and depression. Engaging in physical activity produces similar benefits and often times relaxes and cheers people up.

Your self-esteem will improve. Outdoor exercise stimulates all five senses in a way that indoor activities cannot. Additionally, being out in nature impacts the brain in a positive way, making you feel better about yourself.

Vitamin D levels go up. Vitamin D is also known as the “sunshine vitamin” because it is made in the skin when it’s exposed to sunlight. Studies suggest that Vitamin D may have protective effects against everything from osteoporosis to cancer to depression to heart attacks and stroke. Keep in mind, that too much sun can damage your skin. You only need about 10-15 minutes of sun several days a week during the warm weather. Use sunscreen if you plan to be outside for an extended amount of time.

You will exercise longer and burn more calories. Research shows that those who exercise outdoors burn 10% more calories when they walk or run than they do when they work out on a treadmill at the same speed. When exercising outdoors, the distractions of your surroundings take your mind off the work of working out. As a result, there’s a much greater chance that you’ll end up exercising longer than you would if you were exercising indoors. Another bonus, kids are twice as active when they play outside.

Take advantage of the beautiful weather and enjoy the extra benefits of physical activity outside!

Sources: WebMD & Harvard Health Publishing

If you’ve ever noticed that you feel better after engaging in outdoor activities, you’re not alone. Time spent in outdoor recreation leads to a range of benefits, from reduced obesity rates to strengthened family ties, according to Robert Manning, professor of recreation management at the University of Vermont. Whether you prefer a leisurely stroll along a nature trail or a strenuous hike up a steep mountain path, outdoor recreation sites provide the setting for physical and mental growth.

Regular outdoor activity provides a number of physical health benefits, including lower blood pressure, reduced arthritis pain, weight loss and lowered risk of diabetes, certain cancers, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise -- such as biking or brisk walking -- or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week -- such as hiking or cross-country skiing -- help maintain a healthy weight and reduce risk of chronic disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 2009 study in the “Journal of Park and Recreation Administration” found a correlation between access to outdoor recreational spaces and overweight, obesity and adults’ physical activity levels. Specifically, less-active and more overweight adults spent less time participating in non-motorized physical activities in recreational areas.

Along with an increase in physical activity, outdoor recreation offers the chance to socialize, an important benefit in itself. For instance, birdwatching incorporates several activities, including the physical movement of walking, interpreting visual and auditory input, and speaking to other birdwatchers, according to a 2010 report from Resources for the Future. The report also notes that social settings of outdoor spaces, especially urban parks, are associated with positive experiences. Outdoor physical activity can also increase pride in the community, as well as offer the chance to meet people with similar interests, says Kent State University professor Andrew Lepp.

Outdoor activities lead to an increased confidence, improved creativity and better self-esteem, according to Lepp. Natural settings rejuvenate and calm the mind, improve outlook and increase positive affect. In contrast, artificial environments may cause feelings of exhaustion, irritability, inattentiveness and impulsivity, according to Resources for the Future. Outdoor time can even help you focus; 2009 research in the “Journal of Attention Disorders” shows that 20-minute walks through natural settings lead to improved concentration.

Both physical activity and outdoor settings reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Spending time exercising in a park leads to an increase in positive moods and a reduction in cortisol levels, a hormone released when the body feels stress. Similarly, increased access to green space for activities such as walking decreases stress -- especially for children, according to Cornell University environmental psychologist Nancy Wells.