Taking a few steps outside every day can improve your physical and mental health. It’s important to protect, admire, and embrace our natural resources on Earth and all it has to provide for us. According to Harvard Medical School, getting fresh air and sunlight can improve your health in a plethora of ways.
- You Need Vitamin D
Going outside and getting some sunlight on your skin can help improve your mood, benefit your immune system, strengthen your bones and get better sleep at night.
- Improve Your Mental Health
Sunlight helps boost your serotonin! This can make you feel more calm, positive, and focused. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and different types of depression have been connected to experiencing too much artificial light rather than natural sunlight.
- Ground Yourself
Grounding is a “therapeutic technique that involves doing activities on the ‘ground’ or electrically reconnecting you to the Earth.
Oftentimes in college, I find myself so incredibly anxious that I let my intrusive thoughts interrupt my daily life. If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, try walking barefoot on grass, dirt, sand and pebbles.
Ways to Ground Yourself:
Walking Barefoot-try walking barefoot on grass, dirt, sand, pebbles, or any naturally textured surface. “Allowing your skin to touch the natural ground can provide you with grounding energy”, according to a 2021 Healthline article.
Laying on the Ground: Lay on the ground on a grassy field, a sandy beach, or a forest floor. It can be relaxing, therapeutic, and allow you to relieve some anxiety.
Touch Water: Submerging a portion of your body in a natural body of water such as a lake or ocean can help ground you and reconnect you with the Earth. If you can’t find a natural body of water, a pool will be fine.
- Breathe Fresh Air
Instead of studying indoors, try taking your computer outside with you! Find a comfortable table or bring a picnic blanket and hang out at a park. Another option is to exercise outdoors–it can often feel better to breathe fresh air and absorb natural sunlight rather than working out in a gym.
Let us know how you stay grounded by tagging us @HerCampusSJSU!