There is just no debating the health benefits of exercise. Long understood, regular physical activity lowers the risk of developing several diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, apart from improving mood, reducing stress, improving sleep, and so much more.
However, about exercising, debate in the fitness world has always been about where is best for exercise. Is indoor exercise better than outdoor exercise activities? Does hitting the gym give you more benefits than going outside to run, walk, or jog?
Most studies indicate that exercising outdoors in nature is a better deal and has some other appealing advantages. Here are a few reasons why:
Benefits of Outdoor Gyms
Outdoor exercise can be as simple as a brisk walk around the block. Whichever way you choose to be active outdoors whether it’s walking, running, swimming, biking, or any other outdoor sport there are several benefits to it, including the following:
Improved Mental Health
Compared to indoor exercise, research states that there is a great difference in feelings of revitalization and positive engagement with one feeling more energized outdoors compared to indoors. Outdoor study participants responded positively with a sense of vitality, a sense of enthusiasm, and aliveness. They also wished to return to their activity again.
Nature Anti-Depressant
Outdoor workouts are believed to prevent depression and anxiety because the sun naturally elevates serotonin, which modulates mood. Exercises also elevate your production of another “happy hormone” known as endorphins, produced to alleviate pain while diminishing stress and lifting well-being. Studies show that exercising outdoors cuts stress and mental fatigue by decreasing the amount of stress hormone cortisol within your body.
Free Daily Dose of Vitamin D
People who have indoor working conditions and low physical activity have a high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency. The gym cannot be compared to outdoor workouts since Vitamin D is readily available when working out amidst nature, and it is one vitamin important to strong bones and a healthy immune system.
More importantly, this is exceedingly significant since you just so happen to be overweight because studies have proved that overweight people increase their deficiency chances of Vitamin D.
My Body Is Challenged
Since it’s performed outdoors, the ever-changing terrain asks more from your body than if one works out on flat indoor surfaces. Outdoor workout exercises require more energy as there are no machines to guide your movements, therefore forcing the body to enhance efficiency by getting better and much-needed workouts; it allows your body to burn extra calories and fat.
It has even been proven to provide a wider range of motion that could increase flexibility and mobility.
Improves Quality of Sleep
Outdoor gyms are more efficient in improving the quality of your sleep due to fresh air, sufficient sunlight, and dosage of physical activity. They help clear sleeping troubles and cure insomnia, hence helping you sleep quicker and for longer periods.
Closeness to Nature
Outdoor workouts help to connect with nature and address the additional physiological health benefits that occur when exercise is performed in an outdoor environment.
In one study, it was found that exercising in the natural environment may be not only more enjoyable but also inspire greater commitment to exercise. When participants are allowed to choose their walking speed, they tend to walk faster outside than indoors.
