Wellness

3 Reasons Why You Should Exercise Outside

The pursuit of well-being is as simple as a brisk stroll or bike ride outdoors.

Nature has a rhythm which can untangle the body and mind as you take in the sights and sounds around you. There is something timeless and pure about green space, and with trails seconds from your home at Kiawah River, you can experience it every day. Studies show the correlation between this type of workout and the impact it has on your well-being, here are three reasons why outdoor exercise can benefit your health:

1. Walking outdoors leads to more mindfulness. Like a meditation, just being outdoors in the 2,000-acre expanse of Kiawah River connects you to nature—even as a peaceful sunrise erupts in squirrel chatter or an eagle’s call. Maybe you’ll happen on a birdhouse and see a bluebird land and disappear inside. Or you’ll stop to look across the saltwater river and hatch a plan for later—to cruise closer to the tiny, wild islands by boat.

2. Nature changes your focus. While gyms and yoga classes invite healthy ambitions, we often overlook the uninhibited joy of the outdoors that trade predictability for curiosity. Nature evokes enthusiasm, which impacts our desire to look outward rather than at a TV screen or the back of the person in the treadmill ahead of you. Studies show that even a simple walk outside can produce higher measures of vitality and pleasure, incredibly impacting your mental health and entertaining your senses through observing surroundings.

3. Exposure to sunlight can make you happier. Vitamin D from outdoor light improves your bone health and resistance to diseases. It also decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety, which gives us that sunny glow inside. Regular walks can lead to a positive impact on your physical and cognitive functions, through the combination of daylight exposure and exercise.

The smell of the soil, the feeling of the sun and the views of the wildlife are a few wonders you’ll witness when you adventure outside at Kiawah River’s trails and roads (mostly unpaved), which are all in place for wandering and discovery.