Getting back to the outdoors

Recently, the weather in South Dakota has been very nice. Temperatures were in the 80’s over the past weekend in some places and it was a great time to be outside. 

So much research has been completed and it shows that going outside, being in nature or relaxing in the sun can have many benefits to a person’s health.

There are many physical health benefits to going outside.

When sunlight hits your skin, your body starts to create Vitamin D. This is great for boosting your immune system and fighting certain things like depression, cancer and heart attacks. The best way to boost Vitamin D is sunlight.

Being outside can also help you get more sleep. People believe that going outside and being in the sun can reset your internal clock and create a more-natural sleep pattern. A regular sleep pattern is great for college students. Our sleep patterns are regulated by the circadian rhythm. When people expose themselves to too much artificial light, their internal clocks can go crazy.

Your eyes also benefit from being away from a computer screen. Computer vision syndrome and nearsightedness are two issues that can be reduced by spending time outside in natural light. Obviously don’t go looking at the sun, but spend some time in a place where you aren’t two feet away from a computer screen.

It’s also fun to have games or exercise some way outside. Whether you’re going for a walk, biking or playing a sport of some kind, exercise is great for reducing the possibility high blood pressure.

There are also mental benefits to going outside.

Scientists believe spending time outside in the sun can help to improve mental health. Going outside can help reduce stress, elevate your mood and fight off depression and anxiety. Spending time in nature or even just outdoors can increase your intake of vitamin D and serotonin levels. All of this helps to decrease stressors and improve your well-being.

Being outside can also improve your productivity. There isn’t much research to back this up, but outdoor space can improve your creativity. Seeing all the color that is coming back after winter can give your mind a little kick to thinking outside the box.

Even if you have assignments or work, try to find time to be outside. Take a short walk around campus. Eat outside. Do your homework outside. It doesn’t really matter what you do but try to spend some time outside throughout the last few weeks of the semester. It’s doubtful you need all of this to convince you to go outside. But make sure you make sometime for yourself to relax.

The end of the semester is coming and with it, stress. Take a breather. Go outside, touch some grass, smell the flowers. After all, it’s South Dakota; something is bound to ruin the good weather soon.