Bring Nature Into Your Workout

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts." Rachel Carson

Thanks to many recent studies, exercising in nature helps to improve your mental health, reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, improves self-esteem, increases vitamin D levels, and enables you to avoid boredom. Even if you live in a big city, you can easily find nature. All cities have parks. Walking in the park will positively impact your workout more than working out in a gym.

For those of you who live outside a city, finding nature is as easy as walking out your front door. You can walk around your neighborhood and observe birds, squirrels, rabbits, trees moving in the wind, and flowers blooming. You might see your nature guide, such as a hawk, raven, deer, or fox. On a trail, you might be deep in the woods and see other animals or terrain, such as rocks, pine forests, tree groves, and streams. Are there cedar trees or an aspen grove where you’re hiking? If so, go check out these majestic nature guides. Near a beach, you can look for seabirds, listen to the crashing waves, and watch for crabs or fish. Make a point of looking at what surrounds you. Stop and enjoy the view. Take photos to look at later. These actions help bring nature into your mind and soul and enhance the benefits of being outdoors.

If you are in a larger city, search for a park. Most cities have many parks, and you can easily schedule time to visit each one depending on what your exercise goal is for the day. If you can’t make it to a park, walk the sidewalks and see what you can find. You will see birds flying overhead. Trees are all over cityscapes. Find one and touch it. Feel the leaves between your fingers if you can reach them. Most large cities are near water, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. Parks with walkways by the water are a great place to head for a hit of nature while exercising. If the city noises are distracting, put headphones on and listen to the sounds of nature. There are many sources of nature sounds available for free. While walking, you can listen to birds, crickets, ocean waves, rainfall, and almost any natural sound. The calming sounds of nature will help disguise the city sounds around you.

Nature surrounds us. Depending on where you live, you might have to look for it a little harder than others, but it’s there ready for you to soak it in and help you feel better.