The Great Outdoors Can Lead to Better Health, Better Outlook

We all do what we can to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Studies show, however, that where you live could have a lasting affect on your overall health. Being out in nature - or living close to it - can have a significant, positive impact on your health. What does that mean, though? In this case, nature can range from large, natural spaces, parks and preserves, to smaller urban parks, gardens, or even tree-lined streets. For the purposes of this study, conducted by Florence Williams for her book The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, nature refers to green spaces, which can be found all around us. Why do we benefit so positively from green spaces? Some claim that the reason is due to evolution. Because we evolved with nature, we have an affinity for it. Technology has affected that affinity somewhat, so it's more important than ever that we get outdoors.

Nature is a Stress Buster
For those confined to the indoors, a room with a nature view can still make a dent in stress levels. Decades old studies show that patients in hospital rooms with nature views spent less time in the hospital and needed less pain medication than those in hospital rooms with a view of a brick wall.
A Push to Get Out and Move
Studies that show that if you live in close proximity to natural spaces, you are more inclined to get out in them and get (and stay) active. It's convenient and there's an allure that draws you to those spaces.
Nature May Combat Depression
A study of 10,000 city residents and found that those living closer to urban nature experienced a pronounced “green space effect:” a perceived sense of higher life satisfaction coupled with less mental distress. One reason nature makes us feel better is because it serves as a de facto emotional regulator, inhibiting our tendency to brood.
It Helps Us Feel Less Alone
Natural settings offer a key opportunity for social engagement. You may get involved with a walking group, encounter a neighbor, or pet a dog.
A Potential Link to Longevity
The most dramatic finding may be that simply living close to some degree of nature may prolong your life expectancy. Studies have shown that people whose homes are surrounded by high levels of greenery have a lower mortality rate than those in the lowest-vegetation areas.
Another study involved analyzing satellite imagery to assess patients' homes' proximity to vegetation and then combined that information with their medical records. The association between greenery and lower mortality rates was strongest for respiratory and cancer mortality.
Although many of us may have lost touch with the great outdoors, the science keeps pointing to it as a free, effective way to feel better about ourselves and our connection to the world around us. Living at home longer, assisted by in-home care providers, could be the key to happier and fuller lives.
The original article source can be accessed here.