8 Reasons To Explore The Great Outdoors
There are many reasons to explore the great outdoors, and for some, it’s even difficult not to, but with exploration comes excitement and new adventures. But maybe it doesn’t sound all that fun to you, perhaps you’re scared of nature, or maybe you don’t enjoy it that others do, which is fine, but there is a bonus if you will find yourself out there.
Being in nature is natural to all humans; it’s so natural that humans made the word natural off of nature. Staying indoors is not so natural, at least staying indoors for prolonged periods without interacting with the sun. And our bodies don’t really like not having the sun or fresh air, among other things. But it does like nature, which is known because there are known benefits to going outside and exploring.
Relieve Stress
To start with science, cortisol is a hormone in the brain correlated to stress. So the more stressed you are, the more cortisol you have; logically, less cortisol equals less stress. And you can get less cortisol by going into nature, exploring, being relaxed, and enjoying nature because the forest is not stressful compared to your job or everyday life.
Being less stressed can open many doors for you; being less stressed means that you are overall more patient and therefore have more time to think about decisions and think things through; it’ll make you more appreciative as you pause for a second rather than walking past all there is to see.
a man standing on a rocky hill
Increase Mental Energy
As mentioned, less stress is better for your body because it reduces your mental state. But going into nature relieves stress while rejuvenating your mental state, giving you more mental energy. So heal yourself by taking a waltz into your heart, allowing you to think more clearly and carry on easier.
If you’re like most people, you can sometimes be overwhelmed or bored with the same old sights, the same old town or city, which is tiring, and you only become gradually more tired. This is why taking a trip to spend time in nature is a good thing because it will allow you to relax fully and make you happier in the long term.
Boost Your Immune System
The two points have been about mental health, which can be different for everyone, either stronger or weaker, more susceptible to mental fatigue, and the like. But this one works for everyone, albeit on different levels but still. In addition, being in nature boosts your immune system, allowing you to fight off any pathogen more effectively, and you’ll be less sick with the common cold, which is always a benefit.
This is due to phytoncides, or at the very least, scientists believe. There’s strong evidence to suggest that being in nature boosts your immune system, but no one is exactly certain as to why. But phytoncides could be it, which are the airborne chemicals that plants emit, which increase the count of white blood cells, cells which fight off disease.