Spring is here and families will spend more time outside dining, playing, relaxing and gardening as the weather improves. And while you may enjoy being outside, did know that getting outside is also good for your health?
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) recently outlined five health benefits of getting outside. Check them out below:
1. De-Stress
Your lawn can make you happier! Our stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces. Knowing and experiencing nature makes us generally happier, healthier people.
2. Get Dirty
Getting dirty is good for you! Mycobacterium vaccae in soil mirrors the effect on neurons that Prozac provides. Give your kids a pair of gardening gloves and have them work with you in your green spaces for a hefty dose of Vitamin N(ature) and G(reen). People who spend time gardening and have direct contact with soil feel more relaxed and happier.
3. Pay Attention
Exposure to natural settings may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children. Children gain attention and working memory benefits when they are exposed to greenery.
4. Build Fitness and Social Skills
Living landscapes help people and pets be healthier. Playing outdoors increases fitness levels and builds healthy, active bodies. Research also shows that children reap numerous health, social and personal benefits from spending time outside playing.
5. Take a Deep Breath
Your lawn produces lots of oxygen and cleans the air, too. Fifty square feet of grass generates enough oxygen each day for a family of four and reduces the “code red” effect since grass removes pollutants from the air we breathe.
“Our living landscapes not only provide beauty, but are a stress-reliever, a recreational space, a wildlife habitat and an outdoor living area,” said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI. “Studies show that our green spaces contribute to our health, happiness and intellect.”
For more information about the health benefits of outdoor activities, visit Living Landscapes Matter online.
- Photo: BigStock
