It is no secret, there are numerous health benefits to spending time outdoors improving overall health and wellness. In the last year and half, more and more people are spending time outdoors. What better way to social distance and stay clear of strangers than to go outside.
Last April when we first went into the “lock downs” and schools closed, we loaded up the boat and went camping. We spent a week by the campfire, riding bikes, playing games, and on the boat fishing. We didn’t have to worry about being around others and maintained our health by staying active. Are you looking for things to do outdoors with kids? See our list here.
Below we’ll discuss some of the many benefits that one may enjoy from being outside. This list is not a guarantee of improvement, but the evidence is there. You don’t have to take my word for it.
Physical Health
Becoming more active can improve sleep, make you feel better and function better. Of course, you will need to determine 
your current physical health, but at minimum a brisk walk is generally safe for the average person. The more active you are, the more intense exercise you can participate in. We are talking about the health benefits, not trying to cause health problems. Being active can promote normal development and reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. Natural light has shown to improve individuals ability to recover from injury.
Approximately 42% of the US population are considered Vitamin D deficient. Being Vitamin D deficient can increase risks of heart disease, severe asthma in children, cancer and cognitive impairment in older adults. Ultraviolet (UV) B rays from the sun can stimulate production of Vitamin D to help alleviate some of this. There are other alternatives to supplementing Vitamin D, such as diet, vitamins, etc., this is just another benefit to being outdoors. You also want to protect yourself while outdoors as to not have too much exposure, increasing chances of skin cancer. Find activities in the shade, use sunblock (this will lessen the UVB rays), etc.
Mental Health
Humans benefit from being in nature, we did start off there, right? Light itself tends to elevate peoples moods, the more natural light, the better. Being outdoors in nature has shown to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and antisocial behaviors. Physical activity while outside has been shown to improve moods even more.
A 2008 study found that walking through a park improved concentration in children with ADHD more than walking downtown or through a neighborhood. Concentration has also been found to improve with physical activity.
Stress Reduction
Physical activity while outside has been shown to make people relax. The atmosphere has the natural ability to slowly transition your attention elsewhere rather than continuing to dwell on recurring problems or multitasking stressors. Whether we’re talking about the daily tasks at the office, or coming home to kids and chores, it all adds up. Sometimes, we just need to recharge, see new breathtaking scenery, or simply break the routine. All of these can lead to reducing stress and making you happier and more connected to those that are important to you.
Improved Relationships
While I understand that everyone reading this may not have a spouse or children, if you spend positive quality time with individuals, your relationships have a better opportunity for improvement. If you want to spend quality time with a parent, sibling, friend, co-worker, etc., spend it outdoors. Try a new activity, see something new, have an outdoors scavenger hunt. Try anything to create a little excitement and break from the norm.
Conclusion
On average, your typical American reports spending approximately 90% of their time indoors. That can’t be healthy can it? Regardless of whether you can be healthy by spending 10% of your time outdoors, we have discussed above the many benefits of spending more time outdoors. We have highlighted some specific benefits of being outdoors for children, benefits of being outdoors for seniors, benefits of spending time with family, and benefits of being outdoors for an individual.
We all have jobs, school, previous engagements, practices for kids, etc. I would like to challenge you to put forth the effort though. Even if it’s one additional hour per week, spend some time outdoors and see what happens. Take a walk in the park or have a picnic. You don’t have to commit a week of your time to begin enjoying the benefits.
During the different phases of my life, I’ve had lots of different routines that have involved various stages of indoor and outdoor activity. I’ve noticed that it’s harder for me to make myself get outside when I have so many things that I want to do that require for me to be inside. However, I have definitely enjoyed the times where my lifestyle has forced me to be outside more often. Surprisingly, the benefits of being outside were noticeable even when I lived in NYC. I didn’t have a car so I walked everywhere — it wasn’t exactly spending time in “nature”, but even the city environment seemed to provide a refreshing boost of fresh air!
Thank you for your insight, Aly! I agree, we all have obligations requiring us to be indoors. I hope to one day rid myself of some of those. While I do have things that I enjoy indoors, the differences for me are quite noticeable when outdoors.
I would have to agree that any fresh air and natural light certainly has its benefits. I believe the further away we can get to escape from the hustle of everyday life, the more relaxed and enjoyable the experience will become.
Thanks again for your input!
There is just something with being on the great outdoors I love spending time outdoors because of what it can do for you both mentally, physically, and like you said with your relationship. When you can take in breathes of fresh air and enjoy the scenery especially if there is a gentle cool breeze that’s blowing. This experience can really be life-changing.
I would have to agree, Norman. I have always enjoyed the outdoors, although I don’t always get to spend as much time there as I’d like. When I don’t get out often, I tend to notice the differences and know I need to get out and about.
Since having children, I have found a much greater connection with my wife and children when spending time outdoors. There are not as many distractions, competing with screens, etc.
10% of our time spent outdoors is really not enough indeed! I thought it was more than that. I really discovered this year how good it felt mentally to be out. I try now to take more walks, even when it’s not sunny because I know it is important for my overall health. I exercise quite a lot at home but it’s not the same. Thank you for sharing these helpful tips!!
I am glad you found them helpful. I too was shocked at the percentage of time spent outdoors. While I understand that there are those who spend much more time than this outdoors, it is still concerning. It has made me more aware of my time and am I trying to make it more of a priority.
This is a great point that I have not really thought about much. My job lets me go outside slightly more often which after reading this article I feel like being able to go outside is so important. Everyone always says to go out and smell the roses. Everyone always tells their kids to go outside and I think that it’s time to take that advice ourselves for all of the reasons that you mentioned. There are infinite benefits to all areas of our health to spend time outside with people we care about.
Thanks for your feedback, Nicholas. I have also been guilty of overlooking the time spend indoors as well. We all have a tendency to get tunnel vision.
When I was a kid, we stayed outdoors. Of course, we didn’t have fancy video games, cell phones with the whole world on them, and a never ending stream of tv shows to watch.