Does going outside make you less depressed?

Fresh air, sun, trees. Nature is a magical thing, and according to some studies, can have strong healing powers — such as improving mood, boosting the immune system and increasing anti-cancer proteins.

"Being outdoors in nature can be healing and beneficial for the body and mind," says Erica Price, a certified therapeutic recreational specialist at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital. "Whether at the beach, forest or in a neighborhood park, nature offers a calming effect. And when we combine nature with physical activity, it can help fight depression and anxiety."

Right now, in the age of COVID-19's self-distancing and shelter-in-place orders, there's never been a better time, and bigger need, for the benefits of nature.

"Now that some restrictions have been lifted, it is getting easier to get back to nature and all it has to offer," says Price. "But be sure to keep safety in mind. When in nature with others, keep a distance of six feet, wear face coverings and wash your hands as often as you can."

According to Price, being outdoors can improve your health and well-being in the following five ways:

• Lowers your blood pressure and reduces stress — Spending time walking among or simply looking at trees lowers blood pressure and reduces the stress-related hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

• Improves mood — Researchers have found that nature simply makes us happy. Anxiety, depression and anger are notably decreased after spending time outdoors.

• Improves focus — Studies show that both adults and children who have difficulties focusing or controlling impulses are better able to concentrate after being in nature. The natural world allows our brains to take a break from all that mentally drains us, and even reduces symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

• Helps us heal quicker — Illness and surgery can be painful and frightening, which can increase stress and slow healing. However, researchers discovered that patients who spent time outdoors during their recovery required fewer painkillers, had fewer complications and experienced shorter hospital stays.

• Supports graceful aging — According to a study in the
  Journal of Aging and Health, adults over 70 who spent time outdoors experienced fewer sleep difficulties, complained less about aches and pains, and enjoyed improved mobility and ability to perform daily activities.

Price notes that spending time outside can be especially beneficial during holidays, when schedules become fuller and stress levels rise.

"I love to walk in neighborhoods to see how people celebrate different holidays — what a great way to enjoy the health benefits of being outdoors and to take your mind to a positive place of peace and gratitude."

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Following is a transcript of the video.

Narrator: On average, Americans spend 87% of their time indoors. But what if you ditched that last bit and gave up the great outdoors for good?

Odds are you've been stuck at home before, maybe because of bad weather. Maybe there's a pandemic and you're self-quarantining. You probably wouldn't notice a huge difference at first, other than a bit of cabin fever. But after a week and a half, things may start to change. Ironically, after spending all that time indoors, you may start to feel tired, no matter how much sleep you get.

You see, being stuck inside limits the amount of sunlight you get. Normally, when sunlight hits your eyes, it signals to your brain to stop producing a hormone called melatonin, and that hormone affects your circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep. Without a reliable sunlight trigger, your body will just keep making melatonin, and it might start to feel tired all the time. Sunlight is also a trigger for your body to produce serotonin, aka the happy hormone. It helps to regulate your mood, among other things. So without enough sunlight, after a few months, your melatonin levels will rise, and your serotonin levels? Those may drop, along with your mood. It's this combination of decreased sunlight and serotonin that's credited as one of the main causes of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. It's a type of depression that is most prevalent during long, dark months. SAD is relatively uncommon, but it may increase if we all stay locked in our homes.

You may be thinking you can just bring in artificial sunlight, like a light box. Well, this has been shown to reduce the effects of SAD, but not cure it. And it wouldn't really matter, because your mood can be affected by another important factor. The great outdoors. Just being outside in general has been linked to lower stress levels. So say goodbye to staying calm, and hello to higher blood pressure. Plus, that inside air is stale. The Environmental Protection Agency says it's up to five times more polluted than the air outdoors. This isn't good news for your lungs. Over time, breathing in that recycled air could increase your risk for illnesses linked to pollution.

And four months to a year down the road, your body is going to start missing something vital to your health: vitamin D. This is essential for optimal health, bone strength, and muscular regulation. In order to make vitamin D active, you need sunlight, and artificial won't do. When ultraviolet B rays hit cholesterol in your skin, energy is released, and that fuels the production of vitamin D. Without that production, though, your vitamin D levels will start to drop. And if you don't do anything to counter this decrease, you might find yourself losing strength or getting depressed, while your bones gradually become weaker. Vitamin D is also important for regulating your immune system, so you could be at a higher risk of catching illnesses, too. The next development is a little hard to predict, since vitamin D levels vary from person to person. But you may start seeing some very serious issues in a few years. Lower levels of vitamin D could put you at a higher risk of developing heart disease or strokes, plus an increased risk of cancers, fractured bones, and serious tooth decay. Years down the road, you might feel some pains, specifically in your bones and hips. You could even have difficulty walking, finding yourself waddling or swaying precariously.

Now, vitamin D supplements may or may not help replenish that loss of activated vitamin D. But even with that help, you might struggle from a lack of mental stimulation. In other words, you'll be bored. The monotony of everyday life in the same place doing the same things over and over again, without stepping outdoors... that may all start to take a toll. If you don't have to go outside, you're likely to become more sedentary, meaning you'll exercise less. And research has shown that even a short 12-minute walk can reduce symptoms of depression and help you cope with stress. This could be worse if you live by yourself. Social isolation and loneliness have been linked to conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. And if you're quarantined, you could be dealing with a range of psychological stressors, resulting in undesirable symptoms like low mood and irritability, along with insomnia and depression, all made worse by the fact that you'll be inside day after day doing the same thing.

So maybe, if you can, go and take a walk outside. And if you can't, well, try staying active. Open a window to let fresh air in. Find ways to bring more sunlight into your home so you don't mess up your sleep schedule. It also wouldn't hurt to form a support system to keep you connected with the outside world. Set up video chats or call your family and friends. Others might be going through a similar experience, and bonding over it could be validating, giving you what you need to get through.

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