When the weather gets cold in Woodward Park, your first instinct may be to hibernate for the winter. However, there are countless reasons to keep going outside, even when it’s cold. Research shows that staying indoors too much can put a strain on your mental and physical health. This is exactly why, even as you are sheltering in place, you should do as much as you can to have a bit of fresh air and sunlight every day. However, if you’re still not persuaded, here are five good reasons to dress warmly and head out into the cold.
1. Daylight boosts your mood.
Sunlight in small doses can make you happier. Sunlight helps produce serotonin, a hormone in the brain that keeps you feeling good. Moreover, natural light is great for your mood in other ways. In the winter, natural light becomes scarce, so you’ll have to go outside to get the full effect. If you can’t go far away, even spending some time on a porch, balcony, or yard on a sunny day can make you feel more cheerful.
2. Sunlight helps prevent disease.
Once sunlight hits the skin, it prompts the body to create and activate vitamin D. Studies have shown that a lack of vitamin D can induce a wide array of serious mental and physical health issues, from depression to osteoporosis. Just a little while in the sun, even though it’s cold out, can help increase your body’s ability to fight off all sorts of problems like cancers, heart attacks, and more.
3. Spending time outdoors can improve your memory.
Listed as among the more enticing effects of spending time outdoors is that walking around can help improve your memory – particularly if you can walk around a park or other natural scenery. Studies have shown that interacting with nature can improve recall by almost 20%, which doesn’t have the same effect when walking around city streets. However, if you don’t have easy access to green spaces, every single moment spent doing physical activity outdoors can ease stress and improve your concentration.
4. Going outside is good exercise.
Spending time away from the couch (and fridge) can be a major part of a healthier lifestyle. People who spend more time outdoors, even in cold weather, tend to get more exercise. Even a brisk walk around the block or the local park can be of great value to your physical strength and endurance. If there are certain outdoor activities that you really enjoy, do your best to create a method to enjoy them all year round.
5. Sunlight boosts your immune system.
Do you catch a lot of colds and cases of flu in the wintertime? It could be because you aren’t getting enough sun during those months. Researchers have found that spending time outdoors helps decrease stress hormones in the body, improving your immunity. Regardless of the famous belief that being cold will result in you catching a cold, the opposite appears to be true. Engaging in physical activity outside can help flush bacteria out of your airways, helping you avoid catching those nasty seasonal illnesses.
Though you can’t go far, there are various solid reasons to bundle up and spend some time feeling that winter sun on your face.
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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
