TIP SEVEN – SUNSHINE ☀️
It is no secret that spending time in nature is good for you, but did you know that vitamin D helps to regulate mood? This is because spending time out in the sun releases serotonin, one of our body’s feel-good chemicals.
As a result, one simple way we can keep up our mental fitness is by finding a small window of time each day where we can get outside and soak up some of the sun’s wellbeing benefits. This can look like trying to eat a meal outside, going for a photowalk , or trying one of our 12 gentle outdoor activity suggestions. ☀️ Any time spent outside is good time spent outside and the more mindfully we can do it, the better the benefits to our wellbeing. If you can’t get outside or if getting outside feels impossible right now, you can try finding a nook in your house where the sun directly peaks through and sitting there to soak up some natural vitamin D instead.
In addition to soaking up the sun’s goodness, you can also try taking off your shoes and spending some time standing, walking or sitting barefoot on grass. What this does is it grounds you. Research has shown barefoot contact with the earth can produce nearly instant changes in a variety of physiological measures, helping improve sleep, reduce pain, decrease muscle tension and lower stress. How amazing is that!?
So, why not give one of these a try and see if you experience any benefits? If you do, you’ve now got two simple tools you can add to your mental fitness toolkit!
We’ve got you!
Jess x