In today’s world, more and more people are searching for strategies that will optimise their level of health. If you’re seeking ways to enhance your current level of mental and physical well-being, you should know that putting the phone down and going outside is a great way to make it happen. Here are three reasons why:

1. It will decrease your stress levels

One great benefit of putting down your phone is that doing so will decrease your stress levels. Smartphones can cause a great amount of stress. This is the case for several reasons, including the fact that having these phones oftentimes leads people to obsessively text and check emails. This is time that could have been spent communing with friends or unwinding.

When you get outdoors and away from your phone, you’ll likely find that your stress levels drop dramatically. As noted in Prevention, one study found that the levels of the stress hormone cortisol were substantively lower amongst individuals who lived in regions with a great amount of green space. Additionally, these individuals reported lower levels of stress than people who spent more time in urban environments.

2. Getting outside facilitates movement

In addition to fighting stress, putting your phone down and going outside will help facilitate movement. This process is immensely important because we live in a profoundly sedentary society. We are spending much more time in environments where physical activity is limited. These environments necessitate prolonged periods of sitting. According to this source, schools, work sites, and public spaces are now being re-engineered in a manner that minimises muscular activity and human movement. The rise of sedentary living is incredibly problematic for health because it makes us more susceptible to a wide range of unwanted health conditions. One of them is obesity. This condition can oftentimes lead to or exist in conjunction with several other life-endangering illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.

Luckily, we do not have to go with the flow and resign ourselves to sedentary living and its dangers. Instead, we can make a point to get outdoors and move around. There are a wide range of fun physical activities you can engage in when you go outside. Some of them include swimming, golf, and football. Also, note that walking to and from work rather than driving is a wonderful way to get in some exercise and breathe fresh air.

3. Outdoor therapy

As many health experts know, getting out in the wild functions as a form of wilderness therapy. In fact, many psychologists now use the wilderness as a vehicle through which to help clients recover from relational, developmental, and emotional struggles. These psychologists realise that the wilderness can be an ideal setting in which to help people learn and grow. It can also guide participants into the development of more self-respect and self-reliance.

Whether you’re enrolled in counselling services or not, getting out in the wilderness can help you become a stronger, healthier person. Activities like camping and hiking can enable you to build physical strength while also helping you heighten your sense of efficacy as you learn how to effectively make your way through a new setting. And as noted in Huffington Post, being exposed to fresh air will help boost your immunity and naturally elevate your energy levels.

Don’t delay: get outside today!

If you’re serious about leading an incredible life, it’s important to know that getting away from your technological device and into the outdoors is imperative. Doing so will help you attain the sense of general well-being and physical health that promotes balance and mood stability. To start reaping these benefits now, consider the value of finding a walking buddy or scheduling a camping trip!

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Author: Elliot Caleira

Elliot Caleira is a freelance writer in the self-mastery and health and wellness spaces. When he’s not writing you’ll find him cooking or teaching Portuguese classes.

Main image credit: popsugar.com