outdoors

Mission Driven Monday--Breathe in, Tune Out

Mission Driven Monday (08/26/24)

Today, we’re beginning a brand-new series Mission Driven Monday. Every Monday, you’ll receive a short post in your inbox that will help you stay on mission during the week.

The world has enough madness on its own. You were meant for more. Read on to learn more.


Breathe In, Tune Out—
Fresh Air Refreshes Your Body and Mind

August hits hard with back-to-school, homework, afternoon activities. Did you hit back with a to-do list a mile long and a hard-core promise to stay organized NO MATTER WHAT? Sme of us are already having a hard time keeping up. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, underappreciated, ineffective, and downright defeated.

Maybe you would like to hit the “pause” button on the whole year, or better yet, rewind and start over.

Well, we can’t do that, but we can do something.

If you’ve ever cared for a newborn baby, then you know that there exists an awkward period between the sleepy days right after they’re born and those magical weeks when they start smiling at you, sleeping through the night, and spending contented hours on the floor sucking their own toes. The new mother is often at a loss about what to do with the baby, so she tries everything she knows how to do: a few minutes of snuggle time, a few minutes in the bouncy seat, a few minutes just walking around the house humming lullabies.

I don’t need to go on; you get the idea.

In the end, what works best is actually the simplest. The baby just needs a change of scenery, and going outside often does the trick.

Why does going outside work?

It’s not magic, it’s science!

 

1.     Vitamin D Production: Exposure to sunlight not only improves your mood and energy, but also boosts vitamin D levels, so you get maximum benefit for your bones (hello, aging body!) and immune system, and that’s a big deal, especially as we encounter new germs in the indoor places we inhabit everyday.

2.     Circadian Rhythm Regulation: Natural light helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which helps you be productive during the day and experience restful sleep during the night. These cycles depend on adequate amounts of light, and going outside is much better than the artificial lamp you keep on your desk. No surprise there, I’m sure.

3.     Mood Enhancement: Sunlight triggers the release of serotonin in the brain. We need to remember this big word because serotonin reduces feelings of depression or anxiety and helps us feel happier, something we can all agree is a very good thing.

4.     Stress Reduction: Nature has a calming effect. It promotes relaxation, which is probably one of the reasons why rain and ocean sounds are two of the most popular settings on our indoor noise machines.

5.     Physical Activity: We already know being outside releases serotonin, but fresh air also releases endorphins, another neurotransmitter that acts as a natural painkiller and mood elevator.

6.     Mental Break: Have you ever walked into a room and forgot why you were there? That’s called the “doorway effect,” and the principle works wonders when we use our real door to go outside. You’ll clear your mind and reduce the mental fatigue that threatens to consume you.

Try it. I’m curious. Do you feel better already? Until next time, friends—Right now, I’m headed out to walk a quick lap around the old ‘hood!

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