We love the ocean, we love the wind in our hair and the salty air on our skin. There is nothing quite like the feeling of sand beneath your toes. But of course it’s not just the ocean that we are drawn to. The soft sound of birds in the rain forest, the gentle crunch of grass under our feet. We could go on forever but you get the idea. Being in nature is grounding, calming, and healing. We did some digging to better understand why it makes us feel so good. Here is what we found out.

Good for the soul

We can spend a lot of time in our heads. Thinking, planning, expecting, and worrying. The list goes on. But our physical body responds very well to nature. We are quickly drawn back in to the world around us, the sensations, sounds, and experiences. One of the best ways to become more mindful is to spend more time outdoors simply exploring and experiencing

Fresh Sea Air and salt water helps heal our bodies

Nothing can replicate that feeling a week at the beach can give you. Why? The ocean is full of salt and other minerals like magnesium. Sodium chloride in the water cleans and cleanses the skin helping with acne, scars, and other marks, while also having anti-aging benefits. And finally, magnesium is very important in the making of chemical reactions in the body and lucky for us it’s abundant in the ocean.

The salty breeze you can smell, feel, and taste when you’re near the ocean is full of iodine, which helps to regulate the thyroid gland, and is also filled with negative ions. For those playing at home, negative ions help the body strengthen the immune system.

It gives us chance to switch off

Our modern world has been designed to keep us engaged and distracted. We switch from screen to screen all day. Our phones are the first things we look at in the morning and the last thing we look at before bed. And during the day it’s often a computer screen or a TV. These screens are designed to keep us entertained or completing a task. Which is helpful for work. But sometimes it’s more important to stop, take a step back, and remember there was a time before screens and that nature is still out there. Switch off your phone and go look at some flowers. Then ask yourself how you feel.

Time in Nature reduces stress and inflammation 

Inflammation is what happens in the body when we are injured. And we need that. But stress these days is more than just about physical wounds. Stress over long and sustained periods of time can cause us to fall into a constant state of inflammation, which can be harmful on the body. But lucky for us, we have the great outdoors. Studies show that time in nature significantly reduces signs and symptoms of inflammation. It allows the body to move out constant stress and into a more peaceful and calming place.

What's your favorite way to get outdoors? Let us know in the comments