Learn what is "green exercise" and the scientific benefits of outdoor green exercise - what scientific research tells us about how exercising outdoors is good for mood, mental health, brain fitness, and physical fitness and is a natural way to reduce stress.

Why do green exercise? Green exercise has many mind body benefits. Green exercise can increase mindfulness, reduce blood pressure and improve sleep quality, among other benefits, according to scientific studies. Mindfulness is increased by sense stimulation that then increases our present moment awareness. We experience green exercise mindfully because we are absorbed by the beauty and sensual delights, we lose ourself in the moment.

Think about how much better you feel after you spend time in nature - more relaxed, yet energized. It's very restorative and research confirms this—it's not your imagination.

In this podcast, I discuss 2 studies in particular - one that measures how the same exercise performed outdoors leaves us feeling less tired and more refreshed and another that shows that the same exercise performed outdoors helps us to sleep more deeply and wake feeling more refreshed. Other research studies that I have read show that simple exposure to the color green is restorative, so if you can't get outdoors, look at lush, green nature scenes online, for a virtual forest bathing experience. (remember what the mind perceives as real provides the same mental benefits as doing the real activity)

A popular green exercise in Japan is Forest Bathing. You may wonder what is forest bathing or shinrin-yoku (森林浴) in Japanese (it is also called sēnlínyù (森林浴) in Mandarin and sanlimyok (산림욕) in Korean), according to Wikipedia. It is a specific practice of intentionally walking in a forest for health benefits. It began in Japan in the 1980s and is resurging in popularity. You can learn more about the practice here: http://www.shinrin-yoku.org/shinrin-y.... Interestingly, research continues to substantiate the scientific benefits for health such as improved mood, sleep, attention, energy, happiness and even a stronger immune system.

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Shirley is a health educator who worked at Stanford University School of Medicine for 15 years and she offers insights into research on benefits of Green Exercise. Read her blog post here: http://bit.ly/2y3lRMC

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Shirley Archer is a mindfulness and lifestyle coach, a best-selling author of health and fitness books, and an award-winning trainer who helps busy, hard-working people who want to balance career, relationships and self-care, but who can't find the time or the right guidance.