The man-made world is very much a world that is constructed of indoor environments. We are in our car, we are in our house, we are in the mall, we are at the movies. Indoors is our main environment. This is normal, but we must not forget the benefits of outdoor environments and fresh air. We are often so busy doing things that we don’t make time to go outdoors just for the pure pleasure of it. Maybe you have a river by your house, or a forest that you’ve always wondered about. Knowing that being around nature and just being out in the fresh air is actually good for you may provide extra incentive to get out there and explore.

When we are in outdoor environments we are immersed in oxygen-rich air – much more oxygen-rich than the air in even the most ventilated of buildings. This oxygen will help your red blood cells’ ability to regenerate and will immediately help you to feel better. Newer buildings have higher standards for the quality of air, but older buildings may be very poorly ventilated, causing stuffy air to dominate. If you go to school in an old building that has air that will affect you day after day, fit in some time outside to help you to get the oxygen-rich air that your body craves.

Not only is there more oxygen available in the fresh air, but the fresh air and being out from under a ceiling will give you a feeling of freedom and space that you don’t get from being in indoor environments. There is something mentally reassuring about being out in the fresh air that will help you to feel better. Being outside is also a great stress reliever because it gives you some time to simply relax and enjoy nature. Who knows what new ideas will come to you when you have time to let go and clear you mind. You might want to consider bringing a notepad with you to jot down anything that comes to you, or bring a friend who you can have some good quality conversation with. You also may want to leave your cellphone or any other connection to the “indoor world” behind. This will allow you to fully enjoy being in a new environment.

So take 10 minutes to get out of your house or take the day to go hiking, bicycling or walking along a path. Removing yourself from being directly beside a roadway will mean that you are breathing fresher, less polluted air. If possible, surround yourself with trees because trees are reservoirs of carbon dioxide, improving the quality of the air.

Wherever you are outside, enjoy the fresh air and breathe deeply!