YOU & YOUR Health
Mind & Body
Nature
Cures
Research shows a
link between mood
and outdoor exercise
PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM LEVEY
BY BETH HOWARD
To fix what ails you, take your
workout outside. New research
from England’s University of
Essex finds that just five minutes of “green exercise”—
cycling, gardening, fishing—
can boost your mood and self-esteem. The study jibes with
previous research showing that
outdoor walks battle depression better than mall walks do.
Add to that the other benefits
of outdoor activity—greater
exposure to health-promoting
vitamin D (from the sun),
enhanced cognitive functioning, increased compassion (test
subjects were more considerate after viewing images of
nature)—and more time outside could mean spending less
time in a doctor’s office. ;
