Go Outside and Enjoy Arkansas’ Spring Weather!

To learn more about the health benefits of spending time outside, watch our latest webinar, “Thriving with Nature,” which launched on April 2.

As winter’s short daylight hours and cold temperatures give way to sunny skies and warmer days, answer the beckoning call of spring’s first blooms. Your body, mind and spirit will thank you.

On average, we spend most of our time indoors. Spring is a great time to head outside and reconnect with nature. Whether you go for a hike in a wooded area or visit a neighborhood park, you’ll reap rewards, including:

1. A brighter outlook

Light can improve mood, according to Harvard Medical School, so you’ll likely feel happier after an afternoon in the sunshine. A Social Science & Medicine study adds support for this thought, finding that outdoor exercise makes a greater difference on our mental health than exercising in other environments.

2. Lower stress levels

Surrounding yourself with nature’s beauty may alleviate the effect everyday stress has on our well-being. A body of research links spending time outside in nature with lowered blood pressure, reduced stress and decreased production of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

3. Better sleep

Children who play outside often sleep better at night. Why? Exposure to natural light may help regulate their body clocks so they’re more alert during the day and sleepier at night, according to The National Wildlife Federation. Adults who spend time outside also sleep better, according to a study published in Preventive Medicine, which found that the relationship between sleep and outdoor time is especially strong in men and people age 65 and older.

4. Heart-healthy exercise

The kinds of activities we usually perform when we’re outside, including walking, jogging, biking, hiking and playing, are good for our hearts and overall health.

5. Tech-free bonding time

When we’re spending time outside with our friends, significant others, children or other loved ones, we’re more likely to put our smartphones away and enjoy the present moment. The result? We reconnect with one another as well as with nature.