Running around outside is not only more fun than staring at a TV screen; it’s essential for your health! Studies have shown that spending time outdoors has numerous physical, mental, and social benefits. Programs like Outward Bound are designed to help participants get up close and personal with the outdoors and experiencing these benefits first-hand. Here are just some of the reasons you should get out and get some fresh air!

Good for the Body

Physical activity helps young people develop strong bones and muscles and can help prevent disease later in life.  Practicing certain outdoor activities such as surfing, rock climbing, and hiking also helps you develop balance and certain muscle groups that traditional gym-class exercises won’t reach. Being outside increases vitamin D intake, an essential nutrient for healthy bones and immune system.

Good for the Mind

The outdoors can be the best classroom. Outdoor activities or simply being in nature can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and promote problem-solving, and cognitive abilities. Regular exposure to sunlight can also help regulate sleep cycles that are often interfered with by spending too much time in front of the computer or TV screen. Studies have shown that students who have access to natural playgrounds have reduced instances of ADD and ADHD, and make better grades than students with lower levels and physical activity.

Some schools have even begun implementing one day of class outdoors a week to help stimulate kids’ minds and allow them some fresh air to explore in.

Good for Your Social Life

Outdoor activity can also improve self-confidence and social skills, as well as lead to connections with people with common interests.

Rosemary Davis, Director or Australia’s New South Wales Department of Sport & Recreation says, “A creative engagement with nature is instrumental in building a strong sense of self and this is the basis of understanding and communicating concepts about the world. These concepts are building blocks of later success in social and educational situations.”

Through education programs like Outward Bound students can even earn academic credit for studying in nature’s classroom.

So whether you are going for a jog, surfing, skating, or rappelling a waterfall in Costa Rica (like our students often do), slather on some sunscreen and get outside!