Green Spaces Are Great for Our Health

The weather really has been kind to us over the last couple of weeks with sunshine and blue skies, which makes venturing outside to get some fresh air a lot more welcoming, and often this involves exploring the great outdoors and our green spaces.

This week is ‘Love Parks Week’ which is a celebration of our parks to showcase some of our finest outdoor spaces. We are really fortunate to have some great outdoor spaces in Lincoln to suit all, from the vast open space of the commons to the more sculptured paths of Hartsholme Park and the Arboretum. Not only are these places beautiful to see but getting outside also brings along many health benefits too.

Here are some reasons why getting outside is great for you this Summer:

1. Gets your spine moving:
Venturing to the park means that you are getting your body moving which is essential for the health of our spine. So even if you are venturing to the park for a short walk, your spine will be thankful for it.

2. Get your daily dose of Vitamin D:
Allowing your skin to be exposed to sunlight, even if it is just 10 minutes a day, helps your body create Vitamin D. This is essential for our bone health, immune system and can help to regulate our moods. So, whilst you are out enjoying nature, your body is enjoying it too!

3. Movement and the outdoors can help boost your moods:
As well as the Vitamin D production from the sunlight, movement helps our body to produce dopamine and serotonin which are our ‘happy hormones’. These hormones can help to reduce our stress and anxiety levels, so if you’ve had a long and stressful day, taking 10 minutes to walk around your local park could really help.

4. Allows you to take a moment to pause:
Being outside in the local parks allows you to be away from the everyday hustle and bustle. Taking a moment to notice the trees, flowers, and animals around you can remove the pressures from daily life and remember to value the important things such as relationships and taking care of ourselves, which can often go to the wayside.

5. Explore new places:
Exploring local parks can be great fun and it is amazing what you come across too. I recently went to Hartsholme park which is a place I hadn’t been for many years, and it was lovely to see the wildlife thriving around the lakes and the new activities that had been created for children.

6. Helps to increase our creativity:
If you have a project on the go or are lacking some inspiration, getting outside with nature can really help to get your creativity flowing. A study by psychologists found that back packers scored 50 percent higher on creativity tests after spending a few days outside compared to those who had been inside.

If you are feeling low and lethargic, venturing outside can often be the last thing that you want to do, well that’s certainly something I have found personally. But once I’ve pushed myself to go outside, I am always grateful to have done so and feel better on my return. So, if you are lacking energy and feeling low, why not give it a go?

I hope you enjoy some time outdoors, and I look forward to hearing about the places you have explored.

With love,
Sarah