Autumn Years Winter 2023/24

HEALTH & WELFARE

Fit for Life

Take It Outside ! By Roger Anthony It’s a beautiful day. Perfect temperature. Clear skies. And yet, here you are, in your house staring at a screen or just doing “stuff.” You promise yourself to get out “later” to do some errands or “just get out of the house.” And then it doesn’t happen. You’ve spent your day indoors, mesmerized by our increasing reliance on tech nology and your “stuff” still isn’t done. As we age, many of us are spending ever less time outdoors. We are missing out on the ben efits of being outdoors and apart from moving from room to room, we are not getting enough exercise.

“I’m not going outside until the temperature is above my age.” I t is easy to fall into a pattern of “co cooning,” as it is called, which is staying comfortably at home most of the time instead of going outdoors. It can become a way of life that can negatively impact our physical and mental health. I think we can all agree that it is not good to spend too much time indoors, breathing the same air and not moving enough. How ever, the benefits of getting outdoors go well beyond that. As little as stepping out for even a brief walk outdoors can provide substantial physical and mental health stimuli. We all need to routinely reset ourselves with a good dose of fresh air, sunshine and natural environments. Helps you get exercise For starters, it is for sure that we need to get more exercise. While it is true that some of our indoor lives involve move ment, when we are outside, we tend to

five times higher than outdoor concen trations. Opening windows to air out your house from time to time is a good measure, but actually being outdoors, especially while getting some cardiovas cular exercise, can really help lower your risk of respiratory concerns. Cognitive benefits Not surprisingly, many studies have shown that spending time outdoors improves working memory, ability to focus, cognitive flexibility and attentional control. The change of venue and stimuli, however brief, can act as a boost to our alertness and ability to process. Getting outdoors, especially when we are in natu ral environments, can also enhance our creative and problem solving abilities. Improved emotional well-being and mental restoration Too much indoor time can sometimes contain intrusive stimuli. Computer screens, TVs blaring “Breaking News,” noisy appliances, endless chatter, a never ending “to do” list, etc., can become

increase our stride and engage in more strenuous activities. Gardening, playing with your dog or grandchildren, washing your car or for that matter, any outdoor activity that gets you moving and is do able and enjoyable for you is great. Just walking outside makes us more likely to increase our heart rate. No special equip ment needed, no gym membership. Just walk out your door or drive to a favorite spot and enjoy a walk. The duration is up to you, but obviously the longer and farther you walk, the better it is for you. To ramp it up a bit, many parks actually have outdoor exercise equipment available for free, for a quick workout that can be even better for you than working out inside a gym. Even a few minutes on each of the devices can help build strength. As a bonus, routine walks will build stamina and even help you drop some weight. Better breathing While it is true that air pollution can trig ger allergies, asthma and other reactions, it should be noted that indoor concentra tions of air pollutants are often two to

12 AUTUMN YEARS I WINTER 2023/24