Take in the fresh air

Your Challenge

Being outside, come rain or shine, can improve your mental health and your appreciation of nature. We can also apply this to exercising outside – getting out in nature, experiencing the seasons, improving our health, and saving money at the same time.

We don’t even need to do it for long! Exercising in green spaces for as little as five minutes was found to improve mood and feelings of self-esteem.^[1]

Sometimes the weather won’t really suit outdoor exercise, but if it’s an option, we recommend saving some money by using nature’s gym! You can start small:

Sit outside for five minutes in the morning.
Go for a 10-minute walk. You can try a mindful walk, noticing 3 things you can hear, 3 things you can smell and 3 things you can touch, to help you stay in the present moment and connect with the nature around you.
Do yoga or pilates – take your mat outside on the grass and do your routine there.
If you’re feeling energised, go for a long walk or a run.
A bike ride is a nice option on a sunny day. You can switch your drive to the local shops with a bike ride instead.

Find other ways you can connect with nature to improve your wellbeing with our 'Active in nature' prescription as part of our 'Prescription For Nature' campaign in conjunction with ITV. Or take a look at the 'Thriving in Nature guide' from WWF and the Mental Health Foundation.

Why you're doing this

Humans can benefit from being outside and reconnecting with nature. Spending more time outside in nature helps us appreciate the nature around us, making us more likely to want to protect it. By exercising outside we increase our time in nature and increase our understanding of its importance and value.

Not only does it help us value nature, but it also improves our mental wellbeing and physical health:

Across multiple studies, researchers have found a fascinating link between access to green space, such as fields, forests, parks and gardens, and a reduced risk of mental health problems, improved mood, and increased life satisfaction. ^[2-6]Other benefits include reduced stress, increased physical activity, and better physical health. ^[4,7]
Walking or running seems to give us an extra boost when done in natural environments rather than indoors, reducing feelings of anger, fatigue and sadness. ^[8]

How you'll make a difference

If we take care of nature, nature takes care of us. We want everyone to remember why it’s so important to protect the natural world. Global biodiversity is under threat, but sometimes this can feel like a problem experienced far away, rather than in the UK. By spending time outside, exercising and being in nature, we notice the changes more. For example, if you have a walking route you regularly take, you may notice changes in numbers of birds, bees or other animals. If you’re cycling, walking or running long distances you may notice even more changes across different landscapes.

To take this challenge a step further, check out our ‘Become a citizen scientist’ challenge to log what you see around you.

Although this challenge does not directly lower your carbon footprint, it helps to increase your awareness and understanding of biodiversity and the other issues which impact our planet. We are experiencing 2 challenges on our planet that are interlinked: climate change and biodiversity loss. By making changes that protect nature and care for our planet, we can slow climate change.

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