Why Outdoor Exercises Is Good For Enhancing Your Brain Activities
Your brain and mood improve when you spend time with nature.
These past six months have been rough on me. Writing almost every day and running a business can take a toll on your mental health.
My daughter had been my support system for so long but she moved into the campus in October. Now boredom has occupied that space. A career-oriented single woman living alone can be fun until you lose the motivation to keep breathing. That was how I felt.
Nothing interests me. I hit my lowest. I needed to disconnect from my work life. But disconnecting from my main source of physical activity meant leaving a void in my life and that can result in depression or anxiety for me.
To fill that void and avoid spiraling out of control, I took an adventure and explored the East Coast of North Yorkshire. Connecting to nature is the best alternative to writing and chasing my dreams.
There are a few things that make you feel connected to nature. For me, that’s surfing and hiking. I spent a few hours admiring the beauty of Gordale Scar trails. It was relaxing connecting to nature and the rich wildlife of North Yorkshire park.
Malham cove has stunning walks. The steps were kinda tricky, but the view from the edge is breathtaking.
What amazed me was that the steep hills, the trees and the rocky paths tell stories of fallen heroes. You can feel the magnificent strength of the rocks and waterfall. The limestone is slippery when it’s wet so be careful if you do go hiking at Gordale Scar trails.
It was a wonder to be so emotionally connected to nature. But what was more surprising was the effect it had on my brain.
Focusing on your inner beauty
When I lose motivation in life, I also lose the touch with my charms. What makes us beautiful is more than physical appearance. But when you feel nothing, all you focus on is how you look.
Are you appealing to the eyes? Does your cloth make you attractive? Is your smile charming? You wonder what others see when they look at you. I do know I hit passing marks for physical beauty but when I lose my sense of judgment, I don’t feel pretty because I don’t see myself.
Hiking takes away that obsession with perfection. I don’t worry about how I look when I hike. I focus on my inner strength, courage, self-will, and resilience all make me feel and look beautiful. When you focus on your ability your health improves.
Stress is replaced with peace
Imagine being away from stressors. No boss to answer to. No client to call or email. No deadline to meet. No employees buzzing on every corner. No neighbors, friends or family badging into my room unannounced.
All you do is be you and choose yourself all day. Plus, you are accompanied by trees, rocks, mountains, and birds singing as you walk through a steeping trail.
Daily stressors involve regrets of the past and worries about the future. Every day you do things that will not be a repeat of past mistakes and you make sure your decisions are the best for your future.
When you are surrounded by rocks and waterfalls, your attention is centered on the beauty of how they came to be. The sweet taste of living in the moment is where we find peace. Bathing yourself in fresh air is a great way to maintain a balanced and healthy life.
You feel younger than ever
If you ever want to live longer, try exposing yourself to outdoor activities. One study revealed that telomeres lengthen up to 10% in people who spent time exercising outside.
Telomeres are the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that affect how quickly cells age. Shortened telomeres make you age faster, expose your body to chronic diseases, and increase your chances of obesity.
Along with enjoying the scenery and getting some exercise, hiking can improve your life in ways you might not have thought of before, and science has discovered a link between hiking and your health.
Hiking helps to lengthen telomeres. It increases the oxygen in your brain and heart. The trees filter the atmosphere so you breathe in fresh air when you are surrounded by nature. Also, some studies have shown that outdoor exercise fights off Alzheimer’s.
You feel more confident in yourself
The wonderful thing about hiking and being surrounded by the mountains is that it’s beautiful the entire time. As the terrain changes and the views get more beautiful. As the trail gets harder, the more determined you are to never give up.
Reaching the top of a mountain is an incredible sense of accomplishment, but the real adventure is the courage it takes to take in the view from the edge of the cliff.
After hiking for these past three days, I sleep better, my body feels stronger and I no longer feel stressed. I feel grounded and mentally balanced. I feel more connected with myself than I did before I left Texas. I feel alive. I have made some great friends over here and I’m looking forward to hiking again soon.
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