Mother Nature

 All seasons are a good time to spend with mother nature, but of course the best is when the warm weather is in full swing. The one thing that could make it even better, is being joined by the whole family including the dog. 

 Everyone should know that taking walks in nature is healthy. I even knew this. But when I did a little research once again I was surprised at just how healthy it is. As I read up on the health benefits it inspired me to want to tale more nature walks. I am posting 10 of the top benefits of taking nature walks hoping it will also inspire you.

1. The main reason to practice nature walks is because of its direct benefits on your physical and mental health. It does not only boost your brain performance, it also reduces stress and decreases the risk of heart diseases. Aside from the well-known sportive benefits like getting in shape and losing body fat, you can get a good amount Vitamin D by exposing yourself to the natural sunlight.

2. It’s for everyone. Nature walks are cheap (comparing to a gym membership), and accessible. You don’t require to have any special equipment or physical preparation. It doesn’t matter where you live or what do you do for a living, nature walks are available for everybody.

3. It makes you happier. If you ever suffer from anxiety or depression, you should know that nature walks have been found to be more effective than anti-depressants. By exposing yourself to green environment you can improve both your self-esteem and mood. The combination of exercise, fresh air and the quiet peace of a natural landscape will also lift your cheer.

4. It makes you smarter. Recent studies have found that the exposure to natural walks can restore attention and memory. It has also been found that older people who kept up with their walking habits have up to a 40% reduced risk of developing dementia. By walking some miles every week, you can help to cease your brain shrinkage and stop the loss of memory.

5. It makes you more creative. Another study found that people immersed in nature walks for longer than 48 hours boosted their performance on a creative problem-solving test by 50%. Even if your walks are shorter, you’ll also notice the changes in your thinking. Nature has always inspired us to open our minds and relax. You may find yourself surrounded only by noises like birds chirping, water running from a stream, or the sound of your breath. When you find yourself in a situation like that, you start to think in a whole new light and connect in ways you never imagined.

6. It creates beautiful memories. Doesn’t matter if you share your nature walks with someone special or just by yourself. Not only your memory can stock your first impression; you can take pictures to keep that feeling with you forever.

7. You can meet amazing people. If you’re scared to take trips just by yourself, you can join one of the many existing groups of people who enjoy outdoor nature walks. You can search for a group on Facebook by your location, or you can get in touch with organizations for meeting people who share your interests. Usually, outdoor lovers seem to be very experienced and interesting characters with many amazing stories to tell. Don’t be afraid to make new friends.

8. It develops your observation skills. Outdoor activity such as nature walks may have a protective effect on your eyes by protecting them against myopia. At least, this is a helpful medical tip that you could use if you are a child or a teenager. For adults, it’s known that the more time we spend with the screen, the more likely we are to suffer dry eye syndrome. Letting the eyes focus on distant landscapes exercises different muscles and allows the eyes to relax and recover.

9. It reduces your appetite. If you want to get or keep in shape, nature walks are an efficient appetite suppressant. A study has shown that walking outdoors can have appetite-reducing effects. It found that subjects produced lowered brain response to food images on a day they have spent walking outside compared to a day without going out for a walk.

10. It reduces the risk of an early death. Studies show strong associations between access to nature walks and longer, healthier lives. This is because there is a wide variety of diseases that showed to be less prevalent among people who lived near green spaces.The biggest improvements by nature walks are related to minor risk of death from cancer, lung or kidney disease. The simple combination of physical activity and better air quality boosts longevity.