Spend Time in Nature
While you're disconnecting from social media, consider spending more time outdoors in 2022. Getting outside is a safer way to get active than going to the gym or an exercise class during COVID-19 -- not to mention, it has significant benefits for your mental health:
⭐️ According to Harvard Medical School, a 2015 study found decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain associated with worrying) when participants spent 90 minutes walking in a natural setting vs. an urban one.
⭐️ The University of Minnesota reports that, among patients recovering from gallbladder surgery, those with a view of trees from their bedroom window reported less pain and spent less time in the hospital.
⭐️ According to the University of Washington, a 20-minute "dose" of nature each day has been found to significantly reduce stress levels in research participants.
So, still need a goal for 2022? Science shows that spending a short amount of time outdoors (or looking outdoors from your bedroom window, even!) can improve your mental health.
Let us know in the comments below how you plan to get outside this week! 🌲
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