Getting outdoors gives a boost to your mental and physical well-being. To encourage this myself and Becky decided what better Instagram Community to create than one that enjoys getting outdoors and feeling happy. Now over 5,000 pictures have linked up on the #OutdoorsandHappy hashtag on Instagram and the community continues to grow stronger and stronger.
We welcome all sorts of outdoor pictures – from nature, to outdoor play – even to people who are showing us what fun outdoor activities they have on offer. If it helps get you outside and feel happy then share it with us!
Did you know that getting outdoors can have benefits? Here are some of the things I found it to help with:
- Improving short-term memory
- Better for thinking skills
- Improves creativity
- Gives more energy
- Relieves stress
- Keeps you healthy (by reducing inflammation)
- Gives the immune system a boost
- It’s beneficial to the eyes (reduces the risk of developing myopia/nearsightedness)
- Improves concentration
- Has possible anti-cancer effects!
- Particularly good for mental health (especially depression and anxiety)
- Great for reducing a bad mood
- Reduces the risk of early death
- Outside has lower levels of pollutants
- Increases Vitamin D levels
- Increases benefits for workouts due to changes in weather and terrainshttps://www.instagram.com/p/BSfgzfLFTtG/?tagged=outdoorsandhappy
- Has healing effects (have you ever tried swimming in the water of a fountain!)
- Children get more exercise by playing outdoors – reducing obesity, type 2 diabetes, asthma, vitamin D deficiency and (apparently) ADHD
- Improves sleep
- Relieves pain
- Improve your outlook
- Strengthens immunity
Every week myself and Becky pick our favourite picture from the week and share it with our followers. As you can see from the examples in this post it is no easy task! Becky is also going to be featuring her favourites on her blog Simple Parenting too – so we are hoping to expand the community even further. We thank all of you who make it such a wonderful community so far and if you haven’t already joined in we would love to see you over on Instagram, or linking up with Becky. Enjoying being #OutdoorsandHappy.
I am a huge believer in the importance of getting outside. I have to get outside twice a day to stay happy and you don’t want to go near me if it gets to 9.30am and I haven’t been outside because I am seriously grumpy! I never understand people who would rather stay inside and watch TV or nap – they would have so much more energy and feel less tired if they just got outside for a brisk walk!
I finally remembered to tag one of my IG pics #outdoorsandhappy this week. Then I posted some more pics and forgot again! Doh! Must try harder…
Oh gosh I love this post. I totally feel all these benefits when I get outdoors more. It’s great for the children as well. I need to remember to use the hashtag. Almost all my photos are taken outdoors and I keep forgetting. Thanks for the reminder!
Nat.x
My favourite thing on Instagram Joy so glad we started this