If the last year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of a happy home and a healthy life. And the best thing about backyards is they have the potential to do both.
Ways Your Backyard Can Benefit Your Health
Just imagine it. A cool breeze dances across the back of your neck as you sip on your sweet tea. The buzz of honeybees whispers nearby. And the fragrance of freshly bloomed gardenias floats by. Springtime in Alabama is one of our favorite times of the year.
Find a Sunny Spot
Scope out your space and lay down on a blanket with a good book. Getting a boost of vitamin D is a great way to harness disease-fighting powers. All you need is about 10-15 minutes of sunshine a few times a week to feel the effects. But you might find it so relaxing that you stay out for longer. Just don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen!
Take Your Exercise Routine Outdoors
Maybe you’ve been putting off starting up those at-home workouts, or you’ve been looking for a way to stay away from your home office at lunch. Get a breath of fresh air. Literally. Dust off your yoga mat and do a sun salutation with the sun or some walking lunges across the yard. Even outdoor chores like mowing the lawn or gardening are a great way to get moving. You might find the change in scenery is just the boost you’ve been looking for.
Free Aromatherapy
Stopping to smell the flowers is more than just a saying. According to science, natural scents like roses, fresh-cut grass, and pine make you feel calmer and relaxed. Plus, if you decide to plant some of these beauties, you’ll bring pollinators like butterflies and bees into your space.
In Mobile, you can enjoy fresh seafood and gumbo as you overlook its bay that reflects a stunning skyline of French architecture. This city is home to various wildlife and sea life with interactive opportunities at the Audubon Bird Sanctuary and The Estuarium at Dauphin Island Sea Lab.
Gulf Shores
Come to Gulf Shores if you want to get a feel for the Gulf of Mexico’s wonderfully warm crystal blue waters. Here you can spend a day relaxing in the sand, fishing (deep sea or pier), and enjoying some of the best seafood – including ones that cook your catch!
Find Your Focus
Even though most of us have been working from home for some time now, it can still be hard to get into the groove of working where you live. Give your brain a break by going outside. You’ll improve your concentration and might even enhance your creativity. You can even move your office outside on nice days. Set up a table in some shade and let the birds be your co-workers for the day.
Ditch That Cup of Coffee
Ok, maybe not every morning. But, some studies suggest that spending 20 minutes in the open air gives your brain an energy boost comparable to one cup of joe.
Get Together With Family and Friends
What’s better than sitting around a fire pit with some of the people who are nearest and dearest to you? You don’t have to answer that because we all know very few things beat that. Outdoor gatherings are also a great way to see friends and family while social distancing. Being around those you care about is also one of the number one factors for living a happy life.
There are so many ways to make your backyard a place where you’ll want to spend all your extra time. Shrug off the winter blues and get outside. Doctors orders.
