Spring is just around the corner in Sioux Falls and that means it’s getting easier and easier to spend time outside. Spring in Sioux Falls is such an exciting time – the trees get greener, the sunsets get more colorful and it finally starts to warm up around these parts.
There are so many reasons to get outside now that it’s starting to warm up – it’s truly one of the easiest ways to do something that’s healthy for you on a daily basis. Aren’t convinced that spending time outside is important? Read on to be persuaded.
- Restore. Get outside to restore your mental energy. Are you feeling mentally fatigued? Have you reached your limit with critical thinking and problem solving? Step outside, take a breath of fresh air and let the outdoors reset and refresh your mind. Some studies have even shown that simply looking at photos of nature can help you feel mentally refreshed. Get outside and go for a walk.
- Destress. Take a hike to relieve some stress in your life. It’s been found that a hike in nature can reduce cortisol levels and heart rate compared to those studied who spent time in the city. Take advantage of the fact that you are out in nature and unplug. Turn your phone off, lather on the sunscreen and relish in the fact that you get to be here, in the sunshine, healthy enough to get outside in the first place.
- Focus. By not concentrating on the problems in your life or the to-do list on your fridge – you are preparing yourself to better concentrate on them when it’s time to. Being outside in nature is restorative in the sense that you are focusing on the beauty around you instead of the things that are stressing you out.. Ultimately, it helps you to focus on what’s important.
- Create. Stepping outside, even just for a few minutes can help to boost creativity. Nothing gets you more outside of your head then when you’re out hiking, or biking or floating the river etc. These are activities people tend to get lost in, and that’s when the creativity tends to strike. Use this time outside to motivate you to get creative.
Getting outside tends to heal people on a very basic level. It provides something that people fundamentally crave – peace, relaxation, creation – you name it, being outside helps you to achieve it. Don’t take this warmer weather for granted, get outside and take advantage.