Feel Better, Head Outside

Do you want to feel better about yourself? It might be as easy as a quick trip outside.

The beauty of it all is that not only will it help you feel better about yourself, but it's also free and very abundant here in Colorado.

We're talking about going outside for just five minutes of “exercise” on a daily basis. Up until now we've known from many studies that exercising in the outdoors can do wonders to lift your spirits. And in this case, exercise means anything from a quick walk around the block to gardening, to even a little bit of fishing. The important part is to get outdoors.

But even though other studies showed that being outdoors can boost your mood and chase away depression, we really didn't know how much time you needed to spend outside. Until now. This study found that just doing these activities for five minutes a day of what the researchers called “green exercise” helped people feel better about themselves and boosted moods.

Although any area outdoors will do, researchers also found green areas with water seemed to have the most positive effect. So, to feel you best you might want to spend just a little bit of time outdoors, especially in a park or mountain trail, everyday that you can.