Did You Get Outside Yet Today?

Spending a little bit of time with nature every day can help reduce anxiety, improve sleep, reduce muscle tension, and more..

Let's take five minutes to see this week in a new light. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind Simple Ways to Spend More Time Outside   Summer is the perfect time to head outdoors and connect with the Earth, and there's a lot more in it for your mental and physical health than you might realize. Simply spending a little bit of time with nature every day can help reduce anxiety, improve mindfulness, promote better sleep, reduce muscle tension, and help decrease the production of stress hormones. Low-Impact Outdoor Activities Try not to overthink the ways in which you can get outdoors. For example, sitting on your front or back porch and taking in some sunlight is easy enough. Bringing your book to a backyard tree or park, gardening, going for a simple stroll around the block, and eating your lunch outside are also simple ways to boost your outdoor time.     Findings suggest that nature appears to have a positive impact on self-reported and physiological stress in as little as seven to 10 minutes." — ERIN LARGO-WIGHT, PH.D.    Exercising Outdoors From a moderate hike to a brisk run, taking your physical exercise to the great outdoors is another way to increase the time you spend with nature every week. You could also bring your yoga practice to the backyard or opt for a nice long walk through a local park or on the trail. Whatever exercise you choose, allow yourself to get out of your head and be in the present moment.     On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week Ways to Nurture Your Mind and Body  This week, make a plan to spend 60 extra minutes outside. Maybe that's heading to the beach, hitting the trail, eating a meal al fresco, or taking a handful of short walks through your neighborhood. After your time outside, take a few minutes to acknowledge how your mind and body feel. If you can't get outside just yet, put on The Nature Soundscapes playlist on Spotify and pretend you're one with the trees. On the hunt for a great pair of hiking boots? We've rounded up the best options for women and the best options for men. While you're at it, browse our list of the best hiking backpacks of 2021.     This Week on The Verywell Mind Podcast   Do you ever call yourself names? Are you critical of your mistakes? Do you feel like trying to be nice to yourself just doesn't work?   If so, you'll want to tune in to tomorrow's episode. I'm talking to Kristin Neff, the author of a new book called Fierce Self-Compassion. She explains how to turn those conversations you have with yourself into positive action.   Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / RSS Read These Next The Relationship Between Nature and Mental Health READ NOW How to Do a Digital Detox READ NOW 5 Health Benefits of the 'Sunshine Vitamin' READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy