Did you know that spending time outdoors can boost your mental and physical health? It’s a good idea to make going outdoors part of your daily routine, especially for seniors. Spending even a half hour outside each day can greatly improve one’s overall well-being. The following are just some of the great benefits that the great outdoors can offer to you:

  • Lifting your Spirits
    • Recent studies have found a link between nature walks and significantly lower levels of depression. Seeing vivid colors, smelling the fresh cut grass, breathing in the fresh air, feeling the sun’s rays on your skin can make people feel happier. This is especially true for seniors, who commonly suffer from anxiety and depressions problems.
  • Strengthening Body and Immune System
    • Spending time outdoors has also been directly linked to an improved immunity system. One study from Tokyo’s Nippon Medical School suggests that women who spent six hours in the woods over a time span of two days showed an increase in white blood cells (virus and tumor fighting) that lasted for a minimum of one week. Another study from the University of Pittsburgh found that patients in rooms with nature views went home sooner than patients in rooms with urban views. This benefit is especially helpful to seniors, since they tend to take a longer time to recover from illnesses and surgeries.
  • Makes you “Feel Alive”
    • You’ve heard the saying, being outdoors can make you feel “alive” and research can back up that good vibe. Being outside can provide you with an increased feeling of vitality and more resistant to physical illnesses, as a number of studies have identified a link between time spent in nature and greater energy. Even more reason for seniors to be outdoors!
  • Enhancing Relationships
    • The outdoors may be great for your body, but it can also help with social interaction. By going outside, it is more likely that you will see neighbors that you can chat daily with. Events can also take place outside, whether it’s a BBQ with the family, or watching a grandchild play soccer. Speaking with people and developing connections is one way to prevent depression and social isolation from happening.

Seniors can benefit from spending time in so many ways, from improving your mood, strengthening your body and immune system, improving energy, and enhancing relationships.