Spending time outside is a proven way to help balance your body’s essential hormones. That’s because exposure to fresh air, sunlight and physical activity all promote your body’s production of these hormones, which can help improve your mental and physical health.
Which Vital Hormones Need You to Go Outside?
Maintaining a proper hormone balance requires you to spend at least a few minutes outdoors daily. That way, your body will receive enough vitamin D to avoid issues such as mood changes, fatigue, chronic pain and an impaired healing response. Four main hormones will benefit from being outdoors:
- Serotonin
- Melatonin
- Cortisol
- HGH
Now, let’s find out how each of these hormones helps you and what can go wrong with your body if you don’t spend time outdoors.
Serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and it serves multiple functions. One example is that there appears to be a link between low serotonin levels and increased fibromyalgia symptoms. Other perks include:
- Regulates sleep and wake cycles.
- Controls your mood.
- Aids with digestion.
- Controls your perception of pain.
- Builds and maintains bone tissues.
- It helps with blood clotting and makes wounds heal faster.
If you fail to go outdoors often enough, you may suffer from depression, increased pain, insomnia and low libido. Between 10 and 15 minutes of sunlight is the best way to boost your serotonin, although you can also try eating cheese, tofu, turkey, eggs, nuts and pineapples.
Melatonin
Your body naturally produces melatonin, and its primary function is to help you sleep. When your melatonin levels are too low, you can suffer from insomnia and a delayed sleep phase. Interestingly, spending time outside is the best way to increase melatonin levels. Like serotonin, experts recommend spending 15 minutes in the sun to ensure your hormone levels are correct.
There are two major benefits to spending time outdoors. First, it makes building a solid sleep routine much easier, which means you’ll get better rest. Secondly, it helps your body regulate its circadian rhythms. If you want to make yourself sleep better and therefore help your mood and health, try the following tips:
- Work near a window.
- Spend at least 15 minutes outside. Going for a walk around 3 p.m. is ideal.
- Turn off harsh overhead lights and use gentle lights instead before bed.
Cortisol
Once again, scientists suggest spending 15 minutes in the great outdoors every single day. Interestingly, though, this time, you’re looking to reduce your cortisol levels rather than boosting them.
Cortisol plays a major role in helping regulate your body’s ‘fight or flight’ response and sends a signal to your brain that releases more glucose. Spending time in nature relieves muscle tension, stress, and heart rate, bringing your cortisol levels back in line. If you increase your time outside to 20 minutes, it will result in a significant reduction in cortisol.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
HGH plays a vital role in cell repair, muscle growth and metabolism. It also benefits you in the following ways:
- Improved bone density.
- Better sleep quality.
- Improved cognitive function.
- Boosted immune system.
- Improved mood.
- Increased energy levels.
- Decreased risk of obesity.
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Going outside for 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is a fantastic way to ensure your HGH levels stay consistent. Unfortunately, some people will still develop HGH deficiency. For them, seeking HGH therapy is extremely helpful. However, don’t forget that spending time outdoors is still critical for producing other much-needed hormones.
Why Does Outside Time Matter?
Spending time outdoors is the best way to increase your production of several other feel-good hormones, including dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin. Each hormone works in concert with the rest to offer you mental and physical health improvements. What exactly does being outside do for you, though?
- Sun exposure helps your internal clock.
- Provides stress relief.
- The constant activity makes your body crave more physical activity.
- Boosts your social skills.
- Provides a sense of connection to the planet.
- Gives you a sense of freedom.
- Offers vital access to natural vitamin D.
- It helps boost critical thinking, curiosity, focus and creativity.
Limitations to Going Outside
Of course, going outside can’t cure every physical or mental ailment, but it does help with many different factors. The human body seems to know this, which might make it easier to get yourself outdoors. If you’re struggling with this idea, know that going outdoors today can help you build a solid foundation for physical, mental and hormonal health.
Although it can be way too easy to embrace a sedentary lifestyle, your body will treat you much better if you continuously move it. Try walking on a treadmill near the window when it’s raining or too hot outside. Putting on your television will also give you a reason to keep going for at least 30 minutes. In the end, you’ll have a sense of accomplishment, plus a hormone burst!