Getting Outside is Good for You: Five Benefits

Spring is here, and families will spend more time outside dining, playing, relaxing, and gardening as the weather improves. And while they may enjoy being outside, they may not know that getting outside is also good for their health.

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) outlines five health benefits of getting outside:

Reason #1: Your lawn can make you happier! Our stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces. Knowing and experiencing nature makes us generally happier, healthier people.

Reason #2: Getting dirty is good for you! Mycobacterium vaccae in soil mirrors the effect on neurons that Prozac provides. Give your kids a pair of gardening gloves and have them work with you in your green spaces for a hefty dose of Vitamin N(ature) and G(reen). People who spend time gardening and have direct contact with soil feel more relaxed and happier.

Reason #3: Exposure to natural settings may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children. Children gain attention and working memory benefits when they are exposed to greenery.

Reason #4: Living landscapes help people and pets be healthier. Playing outdoors increases fitness levels and builds healthy, active bodies. Research also shows that children reap numerous health, social and personal benefits from spending time outside playing.

Reason #5: Your lawn produces lots of oxygen and cleans the air too. Fifty square feet of grass generates enough oxygen each day for a family of four and reduces the "code red" effect since grass removes pollutants from the air we breathe.

"Our living landscapes not only provide beauty, but are a stress-reliever, a recreational space, a wildlife habitat, and an outdoor living area," said Kris Kiser, president and CEO, OPEI. "Studies show that our green spaces contribute to our health, happiness and intellect."

Our outdoor living spaces offer great health benefits to us. Trees, shrubs, grass and flowering plants are integral to human health. They provide a place for children and pets to play and directly contribute to our mental and physical well-being.

For more information, visit www.livinglandscapesmatter.com