How fresh air and green space can benefit our well being 22 Apr

How do you feel when you step outside? Refreshed, calm, happy? It's well known that time outside improves happiness, better creativity and lowers stress and blood pressure. During this period of lockdown, it has become apparent how much we rely on that positive feeling of fresh air and outdoor activity.

Studies have shown that outdoor spaces have a positive impact on health and wellbeing and spending prolonged periods of the day indoors can become counter-productive, for both those working from home and those who aren’t.

If you’re often feeling that mid-afternoon slump or just struggling to stay motivated whilst social distancing, it’s important we take advantage of the space we have around us. Going outside helps us feel more energetic and studies have shown that nature makes us feel alive. Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee or tea when you feel a bit drained, it might be more beneficial to go for a walk or jog.

Spending time outside has also been shown to lower stress levels and can have similar effects on our brains as meditating, and being in a natural netting can actually lower heart rate and blood pressure. Taking a walk or sitting in the garden can calm our nerves by focusing on nature scenes and what’s going on in the outside world.

As we are confined to our homes and the same four walls, our attention spans may also suffer. Studies have shown that spending time outdoors can help strengthen our ability to concentrate and increase our levels of productivity and creativity. If working from home, taking a lunchtime walk will help us to break up the day and come back to our desks (or sofas) feeling refreshed!

At the Showground we are so lucky to have acres of outdoor space, 270 to be precise! Whether our visitors are attending a meeting, conference, exhibition or corporate event we think it’s important that delegates can go outside for breaks, as sitting in the same space can lead to boredom and restlessness.

Spending time outdoors allows delegates to feel refreshed, leading to better focus when returning back to the meeting, information then becomes easier to digest and productivity increases. To take advantage of all our outdoor space, we’d love to encourage event organisers to introduce outdoor activities and walks into your agenda if you host an event with us in the future. We have fantastic green areas including a Countryside area with our Cathedral Wood, Saxondale Building and a pond.