Green exercise - trail runners, hikers, dog walkers & bikers… you are onto a good thing.

Are you an outdoor person? Love spending time in nature? If so, you will already know and love the benefits you feel from it.

Green exercise, also known as nature-based exercise, has been the subject of growing research interest due to its potential positive impact on health and well-being. Studies exploring the relationship between green exercise and health have found various benefits, including:

1. Improved Mental Health: Spending time in green spaces and engaging in outdoor physical activity has been associated with reduced stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Being in nature can promote relaxation, boost mood, and enhance overall psychological well-being.

2. Enhanced Physical Fitness: Green exercise often involves activities like hiking, walking, jogging, cycling, and gardening. These activities can improve cardiovascular health, increase fitness levels, and contribute to weight management.

3. Stress Reduction and Recovery: Green environments have a restorative effect, helping individuals recover from mental fatigue and reduce stress. The sights, sounds, and scents of nature can induce a calming effect and promote stress recovery.

4. Increased Vitamin D Levels: Outdoor activities in natural sunlight can lead to increased vitamin D production in the body, which is essential for bone health and immune function.

5. Improved Immune Function: Exposure to natural environments and their diverse microbial communities can support a more robust and balanced immune system, reducing the risk of certain immune-related disorders.

6. Better Cognitive Function: Spending time in nature has been linked to improved attention, focus, and cognitive performance, which may have positive effects on academic or work-related tasks.

7. Social Interaction: Green spaces provide opportunities for social interaction, which can contribute to a sense of community and social well-being.

8. Positive Impact on Chronic Conditions: Green exercise has been associated with better management of chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

9. The microbiome: Green exercise has been found to have a positive effect on the gut microbiome as these environments harbour a diverse range of bacteria, fungi and viruses that can support our immune systems.

While the research on green exercise and health is promising, exercise of any kind, including indoor environments is still just as important and beneficial to our health. Find a form of exercise that you love and find a way of doing it regularly so it is enjoyable and achievable. Spend some time outdoors, in the sunlight and amongst nature to feel a real connection with the world we live in and reap the benefits that come along with that.

Lucy x