It is easy to improve your health and well being. You can also increase your lifespan. All you have to do is incorporate at least thirty minutes of outdoor physical activity into your daily routine.
Research studies recently showed that outdoor play keeps the doctor away. So while you’re eating healthy diets. Make out time to get connected with green spaces and nature. If you are a parent, make sure your children are enjoying the outdoor games previous generations enjoyed. I remember the excitement I gained from doing cartwheels and jumping ropes.
One easy way to ensure that you get adequate exercise is to choose short periods of activity. I sometimes choose three sessions of ten minute-workouts. This is easier to maintain five days a week. Short intermittent exercises are just as effective as single thirty-minute sessions. My health and fitness levels have not diminished in anyway.
Don’t be daunted by the long workout sessions. Choose a short routine that will work for you. Alternatively, you can engage in outdoor games that will make the physical activities more exciting and enjoyable for you. There are a wide range of games you can choose from. You can join a lawn tennis club, a football or basketball team. People who enjoy laser tag games are likely to totally enjoy glow-in-the-dark adventure games like capture the flag, softball or glow-in-the-dark golf. It’s up to you. My favorite games are adventure sports that provide opportunities for me to play with my family.
There are many benefits to be gained from engaging in outdoor games. Let’s look at the top five ways outdoor games can improve your health and wellness.
1. Outdoor Games Are Fantastic Mental Health Boosters
Physical activity causes your body to release happiness hormones that improve your mood and mental health.
Studies have shown that people who engage in outdoor play experience lower stress levels. If you want to reduce tension, worry, depression and rage, incorporating outdoor games into your routine will go a long way to help you.
I love the “feel good sensation” my body exudes after a workout session. One of my friends said her overall health and well-being improved after exercises became a part of her routine.
2. Outdoor Play Reduces The Risk Of Illnesses
Research as shown that sitting for long periods is bad for your heart. If you have a sedentary desk job, make out time to stand, stretch and walk around. This will go a long way to reduce your risk of contracting one or more cardiovascular diseases.
Another research revealed that grownups who spent at least 4 hours in front of the TV increased their risk of death by 46%. Worse still, these adults had an 80% increased risk dying from one or more cardiovascular diseases.
One septuagenarian reported that outdoor play reduced his blood pressure. Another reported a normal heart rate.
3. Outdoor Games Promotes Good Health
A sedentary lifestyle is bad for your health and well-being. When you don’t spend adequate amounts of time on outdoor games or other forms of physical activity, your body slowly deteriorates. Some of the symptoms include loss of strength, vitality and stamina.
Studies have shown that regular physical activity increases the life expectancy by seven years. Obese people are likely to die much earlier. Isn’t that good enough reason to make healthier choices?
4. Improves blood circulation
Adopting a physically active lifestyle has even more surprising health benefits. Even moderate exercises such as walking and jogging help to improve blood circulation in the body.
When your body effectively circulates blood to every part of the body, you are unlikely to contract cardiovascular diseases.
You are likely to gain more health benefits if you engage in sports that incorporate a wide range of physical activities. Examples of such games include lawn tennis, squash, capture the flag etc.
5. Helps In Weight Loss
In the good old days, most children climbed trees, ran errands, walked around the neighborhoods and so on. These physical activities helped them stay fit. Today, the situation is different. Children spend a lot of time in front of the television and computer screens. The downside to this is that they will miss the opportunity to loose excess weight, tone their muscles, reduce cholesterol etc.
Studies have shown that overweight children are at risk of having high blood pressures. Losing weight through outdoor games not only improves your physical beauty, it also boosts your energy levels.
