How much time do you spend outdoors each day? Most Americans spend a large portion of their day inside. Studies show that the average American spends 87% of their life indoors. Some reporters have called this phenomenon the “Indoor Generation.” They state that the current generation just does not see spending time outdoors as a priority. Studies have shown that there are numerous benefits to fighting the urge to stay indoors and getting outside.

Being Outdoors & Mental Health

One interesting benefit of getting outside is that it could improve your short-term memory. This is particularly true if you spend time walking out in nature. A study done at the University of Michigan showed that people who took a walk around an arboretum did 20% better on a memory test than those that went on a walk down a city street.

Happiness from Being Outside

You may have heard that spending time outdoors can make you happier. Is this really true? Science does indeed back up this statement. Numerous studies have shown that our mood is more positive when we spend time outside. Research has also shown that symptoms of depression and anxiety decrease when people spend more time outside.

Spending Time Outside Reduces Inflammation

People all across the country suffer from inflammation. Inflammation is associated with all sorts of different health problems including many autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and cancer. Repeatedly studies show that spending time in nature decreases inflammation levels in our bodies.

Going Outside Increase Energy Levels

If you find yourself frequently feeling tired you may want to get outside more often. Your brain will combat fatigue better if you spend more time outdoors. A research study from the University of Rochester showed that 90% of people have more energy when they participate in outdoor activities. Another study showed that even just looking at pictures of nature increases energy.

Being Outside Lowers Blood Pressure

Spending time outside can also help lower your blood pressure. Simply being outside helps but taking a walk will help lower your blood pressure even more. Studies show that being outside can lower your blood pressure by as much as 4%.

Vitamin D Sun Exposure

Thousands of Americans are living with a Vitamin D deficiency. We need Vitamin D to keep our bones healthy and our immune system functioning properly. The best way to increase your Vitamin D levels is to soak up the sun.

Being Outside Improves Focus

Spending time outdoors helps your ability to focus. Getting outside for even 10 minutes can help restore your focus. If you have ADHD you will definitely want to remember this tip. If you find yourself unable to focus take the time to get outside for a little bit and you will be able to focus more when you come back in.

Pressure Cleaning, Power Washing & More in Santa Ana, Irvine, Anaheim & Huntington Beach California

In your quest to spend more time outdoors you will probably start looking at the outside of your home. When you look at your porch or deck you may realize that it desperately needs to be cleaned before you will consider spending any chunk of time out there. Give Orange County Steam Masters a call and we can come out and power wash your house, porch, deck or other exterior surface for you. Once we have it nice and clean you can start spending more time outside and reaping the benefits we mentioned here!