A high-pressure job with imminent deadlines can cause enormous amounts of stress. Unfortunately, dealing with stressful situations day in and day out can have a negative impact on your health. The good news is that spending more time outdoors provides an effective way to relieve stress overload.
Coaching Sports After School
Becoming one with nature while helping kids achieve goals is a fun and empowering way to reduce stress. Coaching takes the focus away from work-related topics and puts it on assisting youth to develop a set of new skills. Teaching children how to use equipment like the Hitting Knob, a tool to improve softball and baseball players’ swings, will give you purpose and joy as you watch because you’ll be seeing kids advance their physical skills and become better at a sport.
Warm Sunshine
Your body needs vitamin D to sustain health. Regardless of the season, UVB rays from the sun absorb into the body and provide the necessary vitamin. Since vitamin D is not something contained in many of the common foods you eat, getting outdoors will allow you to receive the daily requirement. Warm sun rays also help induce serotonin, a hormone in the body that improves your mood and creates a calmness that will help you reduce stress.
Fresh Air
The truly crisp, clean air you find in a forest or a large field provides an environment that lets you breathe easy. There’s something about fresh air that triggers good vibrations and positive energy. When you feel stress coming on, take a drive to the local park and get out and walk. Take a few deep breaths and let the unspoiled air transform your negative feelings into happy thoughts. Spending time outdoors also promotes a good night’s rest.
A Brisk Walk
Stress can cause a loss of energy, making you feel lethargic. A brisk walk after lunch or after work will restore energy and release bottled stress. Afterward, you’ll feel energized, clear-headed, and upbeat.
Benefits of Outdoor Exercise
Daily exercise has many benefits to both the body and mind. It helps you burn more calories and maintain a healthy weight as well as keeping your mind clear of negative thoughts. High levels of stress prevent you from feeling good. Reducing them through various types of exercise will allow you to alleviate stress and maintain inner and outer health.
Outdoor Playing
Getting outdoors benefits children and adults. Being cooped up in a house for extended periods of time can make you stir crazy. On the weekend, get children outdoors. You can plant a garden, build a fort, or simply play. Tossing a ball, or even doing crafts outdoors, will reduce your stress and allow for quality bonding time with your children.
Spend an Afternoon at the Park
Going to the park provides instant relief from stress. You are outdoors in a natural setting with trees, grass, and warm rays of sunshine. Take a walk on a trail and collect rocks, leaves, or flowers. Pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic in the great outdoors with the sounds and scents of nature all around. It takes you away from the hustle of your daily life while providing an outlet that lets you remain calm and content.
A Day at the Beach
Pack up the kids, plenty of drinks and snacks, towels and sunscreen, and head to the beach. The warm sun, sand on your feet, cool water, and gentle waves will release positive energy and make you feel good. Build a sandcastle together, hunt for shells, and enjoy a walk along the shoreline.
Take in Natural Beauty
Whether winter, spring, summer, or fall, the beauty of outdoor settings creates a calmness within the mind. As a result, you’ll instantly feel the soothing effects. Your mind becomes clear and you suddenly find a renewed focus and a release of good emotions.
Spending time outdoors will reduce anxiety and stress. The natural elements in a serene environment provide the perfect backdrop to induce energy, purpose, and happy thoughts.