Get Outside. Your Body Will Thank You.
Why Morning Light, Movement and Nature Are Some of the Most Powerful Things You Can Do For Your Wellbeing
This weekend I did something I haven’t done nearly enough of this winter. I went for my Saturday morning walk. It’s a little ritual I love: a walk, a coffee by the beach, some journalling, a bit of people watching. But it’s not just the weather that has kept me away. The cafes, shops and restaurants close to the beach close completely out of season, and over the last couple of weeks they have been slowly waking back up. Re-stocking, re-opening, chairs appearing outside again. That feeling of a place coming back to life is hard to describe.
Yesterday morning felt like the first proper day of it. I sat on the paseo (beachfront) in Altafulla at my regular spot with my little bocadillo and coffee, the sky this rich deep blue. There was a little boat bobbing on the horizon, a plane crossing the sky, leaving its white trail behind it. The warm sun on my face was just beautiful. You know that way the sun’s rays dance and twinkle on the surface of the sea? I felt completely at peace. This is my happy place.
I’ve lived near the sea most of my life, from the north of England to Liverpool, Sydney and now here and I always feel the layers of life just fall away from my body the moment I’m near it. Everything starts to feel alive again. And right now, with so much feeling heavy in the world, that matters more than ever.
Why Morning Light Benefts your Wellbeing
So many of us spend our weeks indoors. At desks, in front of screens, on the sofa in the evenings. We forget how much nature genuinely does for us not simply in a feel-good way, but in a very real, physical way.
Getting outside first thing in the morning is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body. When natural light enters your eyes, it sends a signal to your brain to stop producing melatonin (the sleep hormone) and to start releasing cortisol, which helps you feel alert and focused. This is what sets your circadian rhythm your body’s internal 24-hour clock.
Research published in BMC Public Health confirms that morning light exposure is strongly linked to better sleep quality, faster sleep onset, and longer sleep duration. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that morning sunlight specifically not just any time of day predicted better sleep quality the following night.
And the benefits of morning light goes beyond sleep. Research published in PMC shows that light directly influences mood by modulating the availability of serotonin the neurotransmitter responsible for regulating how we feel. Morning light has also been shown to support cardiovascular health and metabolic function. Get that signal in the morning and everything else your sleep, your energy, your mood begins to regulate more naturally.
The good news? You don’t need hours. Studies suggest even 10 to 30 minutes of morning light is enough to make a meaningful difference, and it works even on cloudy days. You just need to get outside.
Movement Gets the Prana Flowing
In Yoga, we talk a lot about Prana, our vital life force energy. It is the vital energy that flows through us, and movement is one of the most effective ways to get it flowing. When we sit still for too long, energy stagnates, and this can lead to feelings of inertia, low mood and mental fog.
A walk, even a short one, shifts something. You come back feeling clearer, lighter, more yourself. This isn’t just ancient wisdom, science backs it up. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in PMC found that nature walks effectively improve mental health, reducing both depression and anxiety. A review from Springer Nature involving over 1,200 adults found that nature-based walking improved mood, sense of optimism, mental wellbeing and reduced stress, anxiety and negative rumination.
And according to Harvard Medical School, even 20 minutes in a natural setting three times a week can meaningfully lower cortisol levels. You don’t need to go to the mountains. A park, a garden, a quiet street with some trees. It all counts.
Why Being Outside Feels So Good
There is a reason being in nature feels like coming home. The concept of biophilia the idea that humans have an innate connection to the natural world helps explain why. We evolved in nature. Our nervous systems are calibrated to it. When we step outside and tune into the sounds, sights and sensations around us, we are essentially returning to something our bodies already know.
Research from Harvard shows that spending time in natural environments lowers salivary cortisol (a biomarker of stress), reduces activity in brain regions associated with negative thinking, and has even been linked to lower rates of mortality. As one Harvard researcher puts it: “The truth is, we are nature.”
In Yoga, this connection is also understood through the practice of Pranayama. Breathing fresh outdoor air, combined with mindful attention to the present moment, is a deeply grounding and restorative practice. Even five minutes of this, done outside, will shift how you feel.
A Simple Mindful Walking Practice
You don’t need to live by the sea. Wherever you are, get outside and as you walk:
Feel the movement of your feet on the ground and begin to tune into the sounds around you, your footsteps, the sounds of nature. Move your attention to all that you can see. Really notice. Then onto the sense of touch, the air against your skin. Then the sense of smell.
Five minutes of this is worth more than you might think. If the weather isn’t playing along, even standing in a doorway and breathing in the fresh air counts. The point is to connect with your body, with nature, with the moment you’re actually in.
Final Thought
We spend too much time indoors and not enough time outside. Nature is not a luxury. It is one of the simplest, most effective and most accessible tools we have for our physical and mental health. And right now, when so much feels uncertain and heavy, stepping outside might be one of the most quietly powerful things you can do. “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” — John Muir
f you enjoyed reading this, you may also like to read…
How Awe Walking Can Help You Connect With Nature and Yourself.
5 Ways to Enjoy the Benefits of Mindfuless without Meditation.
5 Pillar of Wellbeing – The Secret to Living a Balanced, Healthy Life.
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