Getting outdoors: The secret to improving our mental wellbeing

It’s no secret that exercise helps us improve our mental wellbeing, but did you know that just being outside in nature helps lower our stress levels and improves our mental health?

 Whether you’re going for a run, taking your new scooter out for a ride, or just want to sit on a park bench and take in your surroundings, the act of being outdoors is proven to be highly beneficial.

 But why is it so good for improving our mental health? Let’s dive in and find out!

•  Being outdoors has the power to stop a negative thought loop

The multi-sensory experience of being outside means that our brain can entirely focus on being present. This is very important because it stops us daydreaming and spiraling down negative thought rabbitholes.

 When our attention is completely absorbed by our surroundings - like it is when we’re out in nature - our brain doesn’t have the bandwidth to spiral.

•  There are a ton of neurochemical benefits

From the release of serotonin that comes with breathing in fresh air and getting your body moving to the lowering of cortisol in your brain, there is a lot of chemistry at play here. When our brain chemistry changes, a lot of amazing things happen.

 It helps promote positive emotions and thought patterns and reinforces them over time. This in turn, helps us to form positive habits that last a lot longer. What’s not to love about that?

•  Changing our surroundings help refocus our attention

One of the best things we can do when we’re in a negative mood or headspace is to physically change our surroundings. This switches our brain’s attention and allows us to refocus our energy onto something new. It gets us out of that negative headspace and stop us from spiraling even further.

•  Exercise always helps!

Let’s be honest, we all know that exercise improves our mental health, but a lot of us just don’t do it! Exercising outside givies us a double whammy effect of endorphins and serotonin rushes that make us happier and give us a sense of achievement.

 When we make a habit out of exercising - no matter how small - it has a huge knock-on effect for our mental health. It’s one of the cheapest and most effective things you can do to improve your wellbeing, so much so, that some GPs are now prescribing nature walks before giving out anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medication. It’s that powerful! 

• Being around people is proven to improve mental wellbeing

As humans, we’re social creatures. Even the most introverted among us needs connection in order to feel good. That’s because when we’re around people we get a burst of oxytocin, otherwise known as the cuddle hormone. This gives us that warm fuzzy feeling that makes us feel better and kickstarts our positive neurochemical reactions.

 Even if you don’t want to walk or scoot around the park with someone you know, going to a trail or footpath that’s likely to have other people on it can help give you this social connection boost. It’s almost as if you feel like part of a community of nature lovers in your local area!

 So, if you’re wanting to boost your mental wellbeing and kickstart those lovely positive neurochemicals, consider heading outside. Whether that’s switching your treadmill session for a lap around your local park, or ditching the train commute for a ride on your scooter, small swaps can add up to make a huge difference.

About Leafyard:

Leafyard is a self-help web app that works out a personalised, structured approach to help you reduce stress and build better mental resilience. It’s a journey, that trains and motivates you to take action. The outcome? You actually do the things scientifically proven to make you feel better.

 The app educates and motivates you to take small steps every day. Using behavioural science and AI, Leafyard creates mental health journeys that are tailored to you and actively encourages you to take action each and every day.

 We use Leafyard here at Micro Scooters to boost our mood, improve productivity and help with retention. Having used it for a long time now, we can definitely see the positive impact it’s having on our team both personally and professionally.

 Find out more at www.leafyard.com