Enjoy ‘Green Blue Mood’

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Studies have shown that spending time outdoors can help swap feelings of loneliness, sadness and anxiousness with those of calmness and tranquility. Spending time in or seeing scenes of nature brings about positive feelings.

It is thought this is due to areas of the brain associated with balance and emotional stability being highly active when we look at natural landscapes. Those who live in rural areas are far less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than those spending their days in busy cities.

Looking at things from nature, such as animals, lakes or trees, can improve our attention span. Research into children with attention deficit disorder demonstrated increases in their attention span while spending some time outdoors. When our mind is in a calmer state, our memory also improves.

Positive moods allow our brain to function better and allow us to be more productive and efficient in our daily work and studies.

This has been particularly true for people with depression; taking a walk in a natural rather than an urban area has been shown to enhance cognition.

Better Bodies

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Many of the processes in our bodies require vitamin D. Lack of exposure to the sun leads to low levels of this hormone in the body, which can be improved by spending even a small amount of time outside.

Low levels of vitamin D can cause a depressed mood and tiredness. It can also lead to chronic problems within the joints and skin. In turn, these health issues can lead to depression and self-esteem problems.

Natural light allows our bodies to recognize day from night. Spending too much time indoors with artificial lighting alters our body’s natural rhythm and disturbs our sleeping patterns.

Early morning exposure to natural sunlight has been shown to help sync the cycle back into its real rhythm. Sleep is essential for physical and mental health, so ensuring enough exposure to natural light is a key to good health.

This post would be incomplete without a mention of exercise! Regular walks outdoors can protect your heart, improve your immune system and keep you active.

This article is from our archive, originally published at an earlier date.