Whether it’s a nice run in the park or a treadmill session, in theory the energy consumed is the same, as is the type of training. Yet playing sports indoors or outdoors is not the same thing and it doesn’t give the same benefits: one explains it study from the University of Exeter, England. According to the researchers, outdoor activity would help prevent many more diseasesincluding type 2 diabetes and depression.
The benefits of running outdoors
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According to researchers, physical activity outdoors and in contact with nature improves the possibility of prevent 6 of the most common diseases in the world: depression, type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, stroke, colon cancer and breast cancer. According to the study, outdoor activity, in 2019 alone, would have prevented 12,763 cases of the 6 previously mentioned pathologies. Doing sports outdoors reduces the risk of respiratory problems and improves oxygenation. Furthermore, the so-called “circadian clock” follows sunlight, which influences the circadian rhythm and also improves sleep patterns, shortening the time it takes to fall asleep at night. Going outdoors allows you to “detach” and move your mind away from other thoughts, while indoors – perhaps at home – we always remain clinging to the daily routine. Furthermore, a 2021 study explained that naturally occurring microorganisms, which if not dangerous, can “exercise” the immune system, preparing him to face more serious infections. However, remaining in completely sterile environments risks causing the immune system to lose the ability to recognize what is dangerous and what is not, increasing the risk of chronic inflammation.
How much sport should you do?
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It is estimated, according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, that to stay healthy you should perform 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity per week, or give 75 to 150 minutes of intense activityto stay healthy, but 27.5% of the global population does not meet these recommendations. Dr James Grellier, a lecturer at the University of Exeter and one of the authors of the study, highlighted that: “Outdoor exercise is a widely available option even for those who do not want to engage in organized physical activity. On the contrary, we should invest more in natural spaces and parks to encourage people to be more active outdoors.”
