There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh summer air! The benefits of fresh air are amazing for your health. That’s why this month we are highlighting great ways to improve your health over the summertime! And the benefits of fresh air cannot be stressed enough! Just taking a walk outside in the fresh air has been proven to benefit brain health!
Fresh air can also make you happier! The more fresh air you breathe, the more oxygen your body gets which increases the production of serotonin, helping you feel happier and less anxious. Fresh air, unlike indoor air, also has a higher concentration of oxygen which allows for more efficiently delivery of what your body needs allowing your heart to relax and not work so hard.
Let’s talk about indoor air quality for a moment. Believe it or not, the quality of indoor air can actually be much worse than that of outdoor air. Pollutants that can affect indoor air quality can range from various chemicals, metals, radon, mold and other airborne pathogens, tobacco smoke, dirty air circulating through a dirty furnace filter or through dirty ductwork, and more. All of these factors may be exasperated in the winter due to lack of adequate ventilation. It’s also important to have regular cleaning routines to help keep your indoor air quality.
It can be helpful to leave windows slightly cracked in the winter even just to have extra ventilation! But over the summer, we recommend taking advantage of cooler days or evenings to fully open windows and let the fresh air into your home! Also, be sure to get outside for a walk, a swing on your hammock, your child’s baseball game, or anything else that will offer an opportunity to breathe some fresh air into your lungs!
As you prioritize fresh air this week, keep in mind that fresh air can help:
- Facilitate healing processes and fight pathogens
- Increase your overall feeling of wellness
- Reduce feelings of anxiety
- Improve mood, promote relaxation, and clear the mind
We can’t stress enough the benefits of fresh air! So go take a walk or turn your air conditioning off for a while, open the windows and breathe.