Have You Heard? Spending Time in Nature Can Boost Your Mental Health!

According to a recent study led by researchers from the University of Exeter, people who spend at least 120 minutes (or two hours) in nature per week are significantly more likely to report good health mental wellbeing than those who don’t spend any time in nature at all during an average week.

Around the world, there’s a growing movement to support this idea that regular exposure to nature improves both physical and mental health. In Japan, for example, “forest bathing,” is the common practice of taking long walks in the woods and has been the focus of dozens of studies to investigate its beneficial effects.

More good news: according to the study, any type of outdoor setting will suffice. The benefits of aren’t limited to spending time in a forest. If you live in an urban area, you might be wondering what you could do to spend more time outdoors, so we’ve compiled a list of ways to help you fit in that two-hour sweet spot of outdoor exposure.

Fun, Easy Ways to Spend More Time Outdoors

Exercise Outdoors

Exercising outdoors can have several benefits aside from the reported mental health boost. For example, you won’t ever have to work around a rigid gym schedule when exercising outdoors and you’ll save a lot of money when you’re not shelling out for expensive gym memberships.

Outdoor workouts can be as simple or complicated as you’d like. You could begin by running and work your way up to more rigorous activities such as swimming in open water, mountain climbing, bouldering or several other exercises.

Go for a Picnic

Pack up your favorite healthy snacks and go for a drive – or long, leisurely stroll – to a local park! Picnicking can be a fun, whimsical and relaxing way to spend some quality time with loved ones while also soaking up some vitamin D and beneficial exposure to green space.

Test Out Your Green Thumb

Your garden doesn’t have to look like the perfectly curated versions on Pinterest for you to reap the mental health benefits. Even better – gardening of any capacity can be beneficial.

Even if all you have is a windowsill, you can set up a small space for your favorite plants, whether those are flowers, succulents, vines or others. If you have a balcony or backyard, even better! Set aside some time once or twice a week to tend to your plants and absorb the energy of the outdoor life that’s humming along around you.

Mind & Mood Support from BIOVEA

These activities and more are excellent steps toward appreciating the natural world around us and spend time in nature while also giving yourself a mental health boost. If you need a little extra support, however, you can find a variety of mind and mood support supplements from BIOVEA.