Spending time in nature is rewarding for many reasons. The outdoors gives you the chance to exercise, relax, and reconnect with yourself emotionally.
That’s easy to do if you live in a rural area. However, when you live in a busy city, you may feel this is an experience you simply can’t have.
That doesn’t need to be the case. While it is true that city-dwellers typically have less access to certain outdoor activities than people who live elsewhere, you can still escape to nature in the following key ways:
Spend Time in a Local Park
Is a city park as cut off from society as a hiking trail in the woods? No. That said, it can still offer major benefits.
Specifically, research shows that spending time in green spaces helps to reduce stress and promote greater overall physical health. Best of all, you don’t need to go off on an excursion into the woods to take advantage of these spaces. Spending merely 20 minutes in a city park can have noticeable positive effects.
Take a Day Trip
You may not have the option to go for a weekend hike within your city’s borders. Still, there might be hiking trails or similar outdoor adventures just a few miles outside the city. Odds are good you can find local groups planning regular day trips to these sites.
Do some research to find a group in your area. This won’t merely give you a chance to get back in touch with nature. You might also develop close friendships with other group members. These friendships can yield major mental health benefits.
Don’t Forget About Aquatic Adventures
It’s worth remembering that outdoor activities don’t need to be land-based. After all, plenty of cities are located near oceans or lakes. That means there’s a good chance you can find activities in these cities that give you an opportunity to spend some time out on the water.
Once more, research indicates this is worth looking into. Experts have found that spending time on or near water can induce a meditative state that contributes to an improved mood and reduces stress. Some people even begin to think more creatively when near water.
Go for a Walk
Living in a city isn’t the same thing as exploring it. It’s easy to get caught up in a busy lifestyle and forget the value of stepping outside to walk around an unfamiliar neighborhood from time to time.
Besides reaping the major health benefits of walking, exploring through aimless walking can help you find outdoor activities in your own city that you may not have known about.
Remember these points if you ever feel urban life prevents you from experiencing nature. Yes, although you may have limited access to outdoor adventures, you can still enjoy time outside in productive ways. These ideas will help you get started.
