By Debbie Barber

I’ve written previously about how getting outside is good for your mental wellbeing as well as your physical health.

I wanted to delve a bit further into some of the health and wellbeing benefits of outdoor exercise. As you’ll see, there are many!

• Being outside lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, so whatever activity you’re doing, it won’t feel as “strenuous” as being in the gym
• It’s a mood-booster – even moderate exercise causes your body to release “happy” chemicals called endorphins, while being outdoors increases serotonin levels, which also helps manage low mood or feelings of anxiety and depression
• Natural light (especially if the sun is shining) is better for us than artificial light and provides us with much-needed Vitamin D
• Outdoor exercise has been proven to reduce stress – a big tick in the “good for your health” box
• More public parks are introducing gym-style equipment – improving our strength, protecting our skeleton and muscles through “resistance” training is really important as we get older…and it’s free
• Who wants to wake up feeling more refreshed? Exercise + outdoors = better quality sleep
• Go further – if you’ve been cooped up indoors, getting out in the sunshine (or a sturdy waterproof and wellies!) makes us feel better…you’ll want to stay out longer and make the most of the fresh air
• Good for the wallet – remember it’s free to go outside!

Hey…take a walk!

I’m a big fan of putting one foot in front of the other. Admittedly that used to be pounding the pavements training for long-distance races. Nowadays, the creaky joints prefer walking boots and a big hill! As a Personal Trainer, I often tell new clients wanting to get fit to simply start by taking a walk – they get the double win of going at their own pace and building up their fitness gradually, AND as we’ve already seen, they get all the lovely benefits of outdoor exercise.

Hey…take a charity walk!

This is why I’m such a big fan of the trundl walking app. Unlike other walking apps, when you trundl you are also walking for charity. Every time you hit “Go”, you’re helping support some brilliant causes, without having to raise the funds yourself. That’s a walk for your health, and a boost for your sense of wellbeing too as helping others has been proven to bring long-term changes to personal happiness too.   It’s definitely good for you to trundl.

Find out more about how walking with a purpose can ramp up the benefits to your overall wellbeing.