Refresh with a Breath of Fresh Air

Did you know that fresh air can make you happier? It's true!

Fresh air make a huge impact on your overall health.

Serotonin is a chemical created by the human body that works as a neurotransmitter. Serotonin helps regulate mood and sleep and it also affects cognitive functions such as memory and learning. It assists in maintaining mental health and can help with depression.

Serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets and the central nervous system.

Boosting Serotonin Naturally

There are many ways to boost serotonin naturally. Fresh air, exercise and sunlight are a few places to start.

Fresh Air and Your Lungs 

Fresh air helps clear your lungs and release the build-up toxins and impurities. Taking longer, deeper breaths of fresh air increases the amount of oxygen that gets transported to your cells. Increased oxygen allows greater energy and clearer mind.

Our brain needs about 30% of your body's oxygen to function. Have you ever noticed after a brisk walk in nature your energy levels rise and your mind is clearer? You may find that you are able to complete a task easier after a breath of fresh air.

Additional Health Benefits of Fresh Air

There are many other health benefits related to a breath of fresh air. They include:

• Assist with improvement in heart rate, blood pressure and metabolic rate.
• Boost your immune system and fight off disease more effectively.
• Helps aid in digestion.
• Can help you think more clearly and improve concentration.
• Boosts serotonin levels, which promotes a sense of happiness and well-being.
• White blood cells help fight infections; therefore, they need oxygen. Fresh air helps strengthen immune system, which allows your body to rid itself of impurities and toxins.

A Healthy Dose of Fresh Air

Here are some tips to help you get a healthy does of fresh air. 

• No smoking allowed! Keep the quality of air as high and fresh as possible by not smoking. Also, avoid second-hand smoke.
• If outside air quality is poor, stay inside until it improves.
  
• House plants can help indoor air quality. In the late 1980s, a study by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) concluded that certain common houseplants such as bamboo palms, help purify air.
  
• Practice deep breathing for a few minutes each day. Fresh air brought in by deep breathing produces more oxygen to your lungs. 
  
• Exercise daily. Walking is a weight -bearing exercise and helps build cardiovascular endurance. It's fun and inexpensive way to enjoy the outdoors.
  
• Sit up straight. Sit in your chair without your back touching the back of the chair. 

Information from International Association of Wellness Professionals.