No matter what your level of mobility is, taking advantage of green spaces is good for both your mind and body. With mobility aids like lightweight bariatric wheelchairs and knee walkers making public greenways and parks more accessible to more people than ever, it’s a good time to consider making time spent outside part of your daily routine. There is no shortage of research touting the benefits of being outside. There is an argument to be made for breathing fresh air and taking in sights that have nothing to do with technology. Being outside also encourages physical activity, any amount of which is proven to improve both short-term and long-term health.
For people with all levels of mobility, it can be hard to find a few spare minutes in the day to take a break and go outside. Whether you’re stuck in the office throughout your workday or you’re one of the millions of people who work from home, some days it feels impossible to tear yourself away from your computer screen. But while there’s always a task that seems like it needs to be completed right this minute, more often than not the world will keep spinning if you step away for a little while. Though we all know that spending time in the great outdoors is good for us, it may actually be essential.
Spending time in nature not only has physical benefits, it is also an important key to psychological well-being. Whether you are a fan of communing with nature or not, it’s hard to deny the mountain of scientific evidence that supports spending at least a few minutes of your day out in the sun. Exposure to sunlight is a natural mood booster, and Vitamin D is vital to human health. So backing away from your screen and treating yourself to a sojourn through the park is perhaps the best definition of a mental health break.
