If you are feeling a little more drained than usually it might be time to step outside. Did you know that there are great mental health benefits to spending time outdoors? It is already scientifically proven that being outside releases hormones such as dopamine which make you feel good naturally.

According to an article, fresh air actually is good for you after all. Once outside, people tend to engage in exercise such as: trail running, hiking, canoeing, jogging, walking, and more but you don’t have to be engaged in this type of activity for it to still benefit you.

Just being outside is enough to improve your mental health status. So, how exactly does being outside boost mental health? Stepping outside literally clears your head, boosts your immune system, and elevates your senses. Because we tend to spend so much time indoors in unnatural light, when our bodies feeling natural light it just makes us happy. Just fifteen minutes of sunlight is enough per day to reduce anxiety levels and depression as well as increase your vitamin D intake.

All this provides you with better sleep at night. Finally, having contact with green space can decrease the sensory overload that those living in urban environments experience day-after-day. Cognitive fatigue occurs when one spends too much time in urban surroundings and not enough time in nature. It has been observed that just being in view of trees is enough to decrease the urban stimuli and lowering stress levels.