10 Reasons Why Nature is the Best Medicine

10 Reasons Why Nature is the Best Medicine

1. The Closer to Nature, the Healthier You'll Be
Recent studies have shown that the closer you live to nature or green spaces in general the happier you'll be.

2. Nature Changes Your Brain -- For the Better
When you take a walk in nature, electrochemical changes occur in your brain, producing calming and beneficial results.

3. Sunny Skies Give You Vitamin D...
Vitamin D is crucial to humans, helping to prevent disease and infection and improving bone health.

Sunrays provide plenty of vitamin D, so being outdoors during a sunny day can greatly improve your health.

4. ...And a Good Night's Sleep
While it may sound counterproductive, being out in the sun also helps you sleep.

Sunlight, especially in the morning, helps regulate your internal biological clock, making it much easier for you to get your needed rest when bed time rolls around.

5. The Outdoors Can Help You Kiss Your Stress Goodbye
Researchers are finding that being out in nature greatly reduces people's stress levels.

Simply taking in outdoor sights and sounds is relaxing to the body and mind, helping to decrease worry and anxiety.

6. Nature has Astounding Healing Properties
Nature has been shown to directly improve people's physical health, including patients who are recovering from a disease or illness.

Patients who are exposed to the outdoors tend to recover more quickly, use less pain medication, and have shorter hospital stays.

Now, how astounding is that?

7. Being Outside is Good for Your Mental Health
Nature can also help curb mental dieses as well, like depression, ADHD, and other psychiatric problems and illnesses.

The relaxing and calming properties of nature greatly contribute to these results.

8. More Outdoor Activity Makes for a Fitter, Healthier You
Being out in nature often involves some form of physical activity, whether it be strolling through the park, biking through the mountains, or an exciting river raft ride.

This activity both improves physical fitness and can help decrease the likelihood of obesity.

9. Nature Heightens the Senses and Memory
Spending time outdoors can also strengthen your senses and memory.

When in nature, you're exposed to plenty of sights, smells, sounds, and touches and have ample amounts of new things to take in.

These experiences help enhance all your senses, and being outdoors has also been proven to improve short term memory.

10. Happiness -- Pure and Simple
Let's face it, being in nature just makes people happier in general.

The great outdoors changes brain chemistry in a positive way, improves mood, decreases stress, provides opportunities for fun, and is simply downright beautiful.

All this ends up making for a happier and, thus, healthier you.