The benefits of exercising in nature almost seem too good to be true. 

Through being active outdoors- you are an ACTIVE participant in life. You make the choice of when, where, and how long you will engage in your chosen activity. You are making a positive choice every time you decide to get off the couch and out the door.

Being indoors, watching TV or scrolling through Social Media promotes a sedentary and consuming type lifestyle.  This is a passive way to live and often times can lead to negative thoughts towards others when you see them on Instagram for instance having fun in a beautiful location.

Being active in nature is a way to remain fit and healthy for your entire life. Perhaps you do live a fit lifestyle and work out at a gym. If you do do, I encourage you to try exercising outdoors!

So, let’s take a look at the physical and mental benefits of being active in nature.

{Some of the links in this guide go to my trusted affiliates. You pay nothing extra, and PeakFitnessOutdoors.com may make a small commission. Thank you so much for supporting this website and helping to inspire others to be healthy outdoors!}

Physical Benefits

Fresh Air

Spending time indoors is obviously something that is very difficult to get away from in this day and age.  However, the stats are now leaning very heavy towards inactivity, high tech use, and spending an enormous amount of time inside.

An article in Nature reports that the average American spending a total of 93 percent of their lives inside (87 percent in homes/buildings and the other 6 percent in a car).

If you take our life expectancy of 79 years or so – this results in 73 years separated from the very beauty of nature that can drastically change our lives for the better.

Another study by EPA New England estimates that indoor pollutants can be as 2-5 times higher than outdoor concentrations and are potential cause of heart disease, respiratory disease, and possibly even cancer.

Other contributing factors-fluorescent lighting & computer screens can lead to migraines, mercury poisoning, back problems, and eye issues.

Living a sedentary life indoors can also increase our chances of psychological problems, cancer, diabetes, memory loss and erectile dysfunction.

Better Sleep

Due to increased time indoors, sleep patterns have become disrupted for many people.  How we sleep is regulated by our internal body clock- also known as circadian rhythm.  This rhythm is linked with the patterns of the sun.  Too much time indoors being exposed to artificial light throws off our internal clocks.

You can reset this clock by getting outdoors into the sunlight.  A study from the University of Colorado proved that a few nights camping outdoors resets your internal clock to a more natural and healthy setting. 

Strenuous exercise outdoors is even better for improving your odds of getting a great night’s sleep at the end of the day. Those who are alert and perky during the day sleep longer and more soundly. 

Body temperature also impacts how we sleep.  The temperature in our bodies increase during the day and drop at night-a clue to go to sleep.  Hiking for example, can raise and keep the body temperature as much as two degrees.  At night, you’ll have this drop in temperature , cooling your body which helps you sleep better.

Increased levels of Vitamin D

A deficiency in Vitamin D can lead to a host of issues, including dementia, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. The most abundant source of Vitamin D is sunlight. Despite this being fairly common knowledge, many folks don’t get enough of it!

A study from John Hopkins University found a link between exercising outdoors and vitamin D levels.  Being active in nature maximizes our health boosting Vitamin D quota.  The more we are active outdoors, the higher our Vitamin D levels and lowers our risk of stroke, heart disease, and a number of other illnesses.

Lowers Blood Pressure

The great news for outdoor lovers is that moderately intense exercise such as hiking or walking are effective in reducing the risk of high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. You don’t have to be an Ultra Marathon runner to get the benefits!

A six-year study by Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory in CA. analyzed more than 30,000 runners and 15,000 walkers.  The findings concluded that walking and hiking had similar reductions in risk as the more vigorous group of runners. A short hike can reduce blood pressure by 4-10 points.

Pain Reduction

One common source of pain for people is inflammation. There are varying levels of severity. Factors that can increase chronic inflammation include: being older, obesity, poor diet (high in fats and sugars), smoking, stress, sleep problems, and low sex hormones.

A study from the Biomed Environmental Science showed that a method called forest bathing drastically reduced symptoms of inflammation and stress with those who took part in the study.  They concluded that, “Forest bathing is beneficial to human health, perhaps through preventative effects related to pathological factors.”

Also, research shows that natural sunlight can help to reduce pain.  In one study, surgery patients who were exposed to high intensity sunlight felt less stress, and pain and took less pain medication.

Boosts Your Immune System

It is the Japanese that first used the method called, Forest Bathing to boost their Immune System and overall mental and physical health. Studies show the phytoncides (airborne chemicals from trees) has been shown to increase levels of white blood cells. These white blood cells help us to fight off infections and disease.

The phytoncides are antibacterial and antifungal which helps the plants and trees fight off diseases.  When we breathe these in, our bodies respond by increasing the number and activity of the white blood cells (aka natural killer cells).  White blood cells kill the virus and tumor infected cells in our bodies.

• In one Japanese study- those who went on a 3 night, 2 day Forest bathing excursion had an increase in their white blood cells for more than 30 days.
• Researchers who used the Profile of Mood States test found that those who went on forest bathing trips had significantly decreased scores for anxiety, depression, anger, confusion and fatigue.

In my opinion, this is a solid case right here for more Medical Specialists to start actually prescribing the outdoors vs. doling out prescriptions!  This is a method that is starting to be used by some in the Medical profession, but is only now scratching the surface. 

If you are interested in this, you may not be able to get a plan going with a “traditional” Doctor.  Nature prescriptions for the time being may be given by more by Naturopathic Doctors.

Helps Your Vision

One of the greatest risks to the health of our eyes is from spending too much time on the computer. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) can lead to dry or red eyes, blurred vision, headaches, migraines and irritation around the eyes and happens when we spend too much time in front of laptops, desktops, tablets, and phones.

One study has shown that nearsightedness has seen a 17 percent increase in the last 50 years in the US.

You can drastically reduce your chances of having any of these happen to you by getting into nature and looking at objects that are further away. This is why nature is ideal!  Go to places that have beautiful open meadows or stands of Aspen trees and allow your eyes to rest easily on the beauty of nature.

Mental Benefits

The connection between your physical and mental state is very prominent.  If you are in a poor mental state, then it often leads to a poor physical condition as well. This connection may seem very obvious, but is often overlooked by people.  Think of this example- when you are sad (mental state) you may cry(physical state) as a result.  Here’s another example – you hear a funny joke and it makes you happy (Mental state), it causes you to laugh (physical state).

Reduces Stress

Stress can wreak all sorts of havoc on the body. I’ve known people  that have had so much stress in their lives that it caused them numerous physical health issues.  One person got to the point it led them to a mental breakdown. Electronic devices, daily demands and people can be some of the causes of stress in our daily lives.

The great news is however by spending more time outdoors, you can lower your stress levels considerably!  In one study researchers in Holland found that 30 minutes of gardening was enough to reduce participants cortisol levels significantly compared to those who read a book for the same timeframe.  And back to our Japanese method of forest bathing, studies indicate that walking in nature for as little as 20 minutes also greatly reduces stress and anxiety.

Decreases Depression

According to an article -from the Harvard Medical School, the rate of antidepressant use in this country among peoples ages 12 and older has increased by almost 400% between 1988-1994 and 2005-2008.  These numbers are astounding- and should shock anyone reading this!

In my opinion (I am not a Doctor), but I would go the Nature Route first BEFORE going to a Doctor!  Here is one of the comments to the mentioned article that I want to share,

“By the way, his situation worsened to the point of suicidal thoughts with the use of antidepressants.  That is why this experience left a bitter taste in my mouth” ~ John Doe

Yes- these so called anti-depressants have actually caused people to commit suicide. This is heartbreaking and completely unnecessary!!

Okay- so enough with my soap box. So what can you do if you are depressed?

Are you surprised that I would say go into nature and be active?  A study from Stanford University found that those who went for a walk in nature or green spaces, showed less neural activity in the area of the brain associated with depression than in other participants walking in Urban places.

Immersing yourself in nature on a regular basis can not only cut the risk of becoming depressed in the first place but also reduces the symptoms of depression for those already suffering from it.

Finally, the combination of the soothing sights and sounds in nature combined with physical activity helps to alleviate bad moods and reduce symptoms of anxiety. It’s all interrelated- the Vitamin D exposure discussed earlier also decreases anxiety and depression.

Nature is an instant mood enhancer. It’s pure joy to look upon lush green rolling hills, sweeping panoramic views, intricately combined with wildflowers and sparkling streams. I don’t care how fancy your Virtual Head Set/Peloton combo is- there is no comparison!

Increases Level of Being Present

Exercising in nature will help you to connect to the here and now. Where you concentrate on the feeling of the earth beneath your feet, and taking in the sights and sounds around you without the distraction of a digital screen.

You can be present in nature, where your mind can relax significantly. Your mind can be focused on only your surroundings- and not what happened yesterday or all the work that waits you.  You can experience joy when looking upon a large oak vs. a slew of incoming texts and emails.

Natural settings encourage involuntary focus, where our vision and attention are open and relaxed, not jerked around from one stimulus to another (like oncoming traffic).

In a forest for instance, your gaze softens and opens. The green environment allows you to relax which makes you more mentally receptive. For these reasons, you can think and see more clearly in nature. Natural beauty soothes us and relaxes the mind immensely.

City environments have loads of people, traffic, pollution, billboards, and concrete.  These elements can keep us in a state of confusion and give us feelings of being completely overwhelmed.

It can be difficult to stay happy when you have long commutes, sit in a cube all day getting interrupted, attending useless meetings, and receiving a barrage of electronic messages. It can be difficult to enjoy times like these and be “present” in these moments. I know this all too well- I used to commute 500 hours within one year. This can take a huge toll after a while.

When we have this much stimuli coming at us on a constant basis, and thinking about  about what we need to do next, etc. , it makes it very difficult to enjoy the moment.

One researcher states, “When you use your cell phone to talk, text, shoot photos, or whatever else you can do with your cell phone, you’re tapping the prefrontal cortex and causing reductions in cognitive resources.”

This is why getting into nature is so important- to get away from the texts, emails, and artificial structures within the City.

 Enhances Creativity

Creativity is one of the foundations for being more productive. Putting in 60 plus hours a week is not always the solution to accomplishing your work.  A counter intuitive approach for many is to set a limit on the number of hours you work – and make time to get into nature instead.

Having one or two solid ideas can literally save you hundreds of hours. Being able to think through a problem before taking action can also save you loads of time.  Getting into nature will increase your creativity and problem solving skills- which in turn gives you better ideas. These ideas could save you countless hours in spinning your wheels.

One study done with a group of Backpackers found they scored 50 % higher on a creativity test after spending a few days in the wild without their electronics.

Some of the best ideas I’ve ever had I thought of while hiking. I wasn’t even consciously thinking about the issue/problem -it just came to me. Being outdoors without your phone and other distractions restores your attention, enhances higher order thinking and boosts creativity.

A surge in creativity happens once our attention is restored.  The constant demand of attending meetings, responding to texts and emails, and the general business of life places a huge burden on the prefrontal cortex of the brain.  This is the region that is involved in multi-tasking and higher order thinking.

All of these small demands add up to make us very distracted and makes our brains tired.  This in turn makes it difficult to focus, and come up with new ideas.  Research shows when people are in nature, the prefrontal cortex is less active.

No need to go on a 10 mile hike to achieve these results.  A 25 minute walk in a green space is enough to give your brain a rest and boost your cognitive functioning.

You’ll Have More Fun

On  a recent hike I went 10 miles and it felt like 5.  The surrounding terrain had me captivated the entire time and I couldn’t wait for each step to see what was around the corner.  The only scenery that changes in gyms are the people. I guess this is called “Effort Perception.” Where you are exerting energy, but because your outdoors in beautiful spaces it doesn’t feel like as much work. The days when I used to go to the gym- Oh, it definitely felt like work! I would look at the clock as soon as I stepped on the treadmill. There’s many types of portable fitness equipment like jump ropes or running weights that would enhance your outdoor workout.

 It is also a blast to explore new places in your State and get out of your comfort zone. Visiting new places adds spice to your life, variety and excitement that going to a gym could never provide. Planning hikes and other outdoor adventures also gives you something to look forward to.

Getting outdoors for exercise is also an  opportunity to expand your social circle. Outdoor group fitness classes, hiking clubs, or just jogging with friends can enrich your workout routine. Shared experiences amplify the joy and accountability of staying active and can keep you looking forward to each session with enthusiasm. You’re able to laugh and talk with each other  vs. a gym where you are solo on the machines.

Benefits of Exercising in Nature Summary

If you don’t work out at all- then I hope these reasons are enough for you to take action NOW. If you are active in a gym, then I encourage you to switch it up and take your weights and portable fitness sets to the park.

The Physical benefits include getting fresh air, decrease in blood pressure, pain reduction, inflammation, boosts your immune system and helps your eyesight.

The Mental benefits include reductions in anxiety and depression, increase in creativity and mindfulness And- you’ll have way more fun with other people. Expand your social circle and always gives you something to look forward to.

Any Benefits that you’ve experienced that I did not mention? Would love to hear your comments.