What Your Beauty Routine Is Missing: Time in Nature
Life moves fast, and you may spend much of your time indoors. After all, it’s not uncommon to have a desk job these days where you spend all day working on a computer and cycling through online and in-office meetings. But there’s a whole other world outside of those four walls you toil within, and you should partake of it and the benefits it has to offer you. While you might not think that taking the time to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer has an effect on your beauty routine. It does, and it can be very positive. Here are some reasons why.
It Could Help You Maintain or Lose Weight
If you have a job that keeps you chained to a desk throughout the day, spending time outdoors can help you maintain or maybe even lose weight, depending on how much time you spend and what level of activity you engage in. For example, a brisk 30-minute walk every day at lunchtime will burn more calories than if you sit on a park bench and read. And keeping fit or becoming more fit is definitely part of your outer beauty.
Your Naps Become Better, and So Does Your Skin
If you’re one of those individuals that have battled with insomnia for years, this will come as good news to you. Researchers at the University of California recently ascertained that going camping is a major antidote for insomnia. That’s because sleeping outdoors recalibrates the body’s circadian rhythm. And adequate sleep is also linked with elevated blood flow in the skin, which replenishes the skin cells by providing oxygen and removing any waste products.
You Can Get Vitamin D
You’ve likely experienced a more positive attitude as a result of spending time outdoors in the sun. This is partly due to the fact that sunlight fuels the body’s synthesis of vitamin D, which plays an important role in improving mood, but getting a daily dose of vitamin D can also help in other ways. Just spending 10-15 minutes outside each day has the potential to benefit your skin by promoting cell turnover.
It’s a Great Remedy for Inflammation
Simply stepping outside barefooted, aka earthing, has been scientifically proven to relieve blemishes alongside the inflammation of the skin. This can be attributed to the fact that the outdoors can give the immunity system a major boost. And an efficient immune system is critical in ensuring the elimination of toxins that would otherwise be detrimental to the skin’s health.
It Can Help Up Your Water Intake
If you have a difficult time drinking enough water each day, moving around outdoors can motivate you to drink more. Just make sure you bring your water bottle with you, so it’s available for you to take a swig now and then. And drinking water doesn’t just hydrate your body. Studies also show that drinking certain amounts of water can help hydrate normal skin, sometimes mimicking the effect of a topical moisturizer.
It Can Boost Your Mood
Even if you reside in an urban setup, consider venturing out into nature. Harvard researchers established that individuals that spent at least two hours walking in nature considerably reduced activities in the regions of their brains associated with depression and other stress-related conditions as compared to their counterparts that resided in a metropolis environment.
Chronic stress has the potential to exert an adverse effect on the overall wellness of the skin and may further exacerbate several skin conditions, including eczema, psoriasis and hair loss. Furthermore, chronic stress may also disrupt the epidermal barrier, which is the skin’s top layer that locks in moisture and cushions individuals from harmful microbes.
Enjoy the Outdoors — It’s Good for You
Whether it’s a quick excursion during your lunch break, a long weekend hike or a restful break in your backyard, make an effort to schedule at least a few minutes each day outdoors as part of your beauty routine. Just remember to guard your skin against sun damage by wearing sunscreen, protective clothing and accessories and always bring water to stay hydrated.