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Here’s a fact: Exercising outdoors is way more beneficial than doing it indoors.
A study published on the National Library of Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3710158/ claims that any form of exercise, when done in a natural environment, has immense advantages such as better stress management, it reduces anger & depression, increases your energy levels, reduces fatigue, and improves your confidence.
This, of course, includes yoga! So, let me delve into some of the benefits or wellness multipliers that come with practicing yoga outdoors:
1) Revitalise your lungs
Per Dr. Edward, from the Global Healing Centre, our lungs have six liters of air capacity. Practicing yoga in the open air will ensure inhaling of better-quality oxygen, which, in turn, breaks down pollutants and toxins that may have been accumulated in your alveoli. With better oxygen, one tends to inhale and exhale more air, improving the performance of your heart.
2) Refill your daily dose of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is critical for healthier bones. In countries such as the US, people have a low level of Vitamin D. This deficiency can be attributed to the limited exposure to the sun.
The consequence of deficient Vitamin D, per Scientific American, could lead to an array of health hazards such as cardiac arrests, depression, and cancer. Whenever given a chance, you should practice yoga in the open and refill you Vitamin D quota.
3) Your bare feet kissing the dewdrop-filled grass, sand or rock improves your heart health
Per a study by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, contact between earth and the human body keeps your heart healthy by reducing the viscosity of the blood, i.e. thinning the blood.
Another research published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine found that close contact with the earth helps to reduce body pain, releases stress and improves sleep. Doing yoga in nature barefoot is just a lot of fun!
4) Improves your concentration and listening ability
Studios or your home cannot match up to nature when it comes to your serenity. The soulful music played on your audio system to emulate nature is far from reality.
When you perform yoga in the arms of Mother Nature, you automatically improve your listening skills as you’re now away from human-made noises such as car honks. Without any source of distractions, you can establish a connection with your inner self.
5) Deep cleansing of your emotional quotient
Practicing yoga outdoors helps you to connect with your surroundings and enables you to resonate with the environment around you.
With your foot on the ground, your root chakra will start to match the frequency of the surroundings, making your mind more receptive and syncing with the rhythm of your heartbeat.
With both heart and soul in sync during meditation, emotions will arise, clean your memories, and lighten your feelings. This will help increase your confidence and realisation.
6) Outdoor yoga is more intense
When you practice yoga in nature, you need a higher level of concentration due to the uneven terrain. This helps your body to sync with the environment around you, increasing the intensity of the practice.
You also embrace the elements of nature such as the wind, the sun, the sand or the water, and systematically establish a relationship with these elements. E.g. the warmth of the sun and the moisture of the sea can help your muscles to be more flexible.
There are many yoga retreats that are held in a natural environment. From a hiking and yoga holiday to a yoga and surfing vacation.
7) You don’t have to fight for floor space
With the growing popularity of yoga in the cities, there’s a mad rush in most yoga studios. If you go outdoors, you have more space to execute your poses without the need to squeeze in for space.
Conclusion
We all know the benefits of yoga are profound, but they’re even better when practiced outdoors. So, at least every now and then, you should take your mat and head to the closest park instead of going to your regular studio.
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