Spending just 20 minutes in a park will improve your emotional well-being

It’s no mystery that exposure to nature has some amazing benefits to our general well-being like reducing stress or increasing our energy levels. But the question that naturally arises is how much time do we actually need to be able to reap those benefits. A new study might have an answer to that question. The research found that spending 20 minutes in an urban park can make us happier regardless of whether we use that time to exercise or not. The study suggested that people who visited a park area for 20 to 25 minutes reported a roughly 64 percent increase in their well-being, even if they didn’t move a great deal in the park. The findings point to the fact that as the world’s cities keep on growing, green space must be a key consideration in urban planning for the sake of both the city’s health and that of its people.    READ MORE

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Get a bit more fit by adding micro workouts to your daily life

For people who don’t exercise regularly, there’s a simple thing you can do to get on the road to fitness. It’s called high-intensity incidents physical activity (HIIPA), and it refers to the everyday activities from hauling groceries to climbing stairs that get you huffing and puffing. So, how can HIIPA help you get fit? In a recent study, researchers found that many daily tasks are actually high-intensity activities that require lots of energy, and by incorporating many of them in your day, you can get similar health benefits to a session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Think of them as micro-workouts that you can consciously choose; take the stairs every time instead of the elevator, do squats while you do the laundry, lug your groceries all at once instead of doing many separate trips, etc. HIIPA is by no means meant to replace workouts, but it does show how our seemingly unimportant daily activities do play a role in our health. In fact, for a person who is overweight, a simple task like walking the stairs can require up to six times the energy than they expend while at rest. If you’re looking to add a little more fitness into your tight schedule, keep HIIPA in mind.    READ MORE

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Fasting and exercise can boost your body’s ability to shed toxic proteins

One of the many useful things our bodies do on their own is rid themselves of proteins that are no longer of use. Whether the proteins are defective, toxic or simply surplus to requirements, our cellular machinery can act swiftly and decisively when shedding this dead weight. But sometimes the protein-disposal unit doesn’t work properly, creating a backlog of misfolded proteins that are left to clog up the cell and impact the way it functions. So much so that scientists, including those at Harvard Medical School behind the new study, believe they act as precursors for neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Thankfully, there are ways to swing things back in the protein-disposal unit’s favor when it fails to do the job on its own. According to researchers, regular exercise and fasting can bring on hormonal changes that trigger the process that helps your body dispose of detected proteins. If getting your body toned and tight for the summer isn’t the motivation that will get you up and active, perhaps this study will motivate you.    READ MORE

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What time of day is the best time to work out? Here’s what scientists say

Finding time to exercise can be challenging, and the most important thing is to squeeze in any amount of it whenever you can. But if you want to optimize your workouts to get the widest range of benefits, you might want to try exercising in the morning. According to researchers, working out in the morning—especially on an empty stomach—is the best way to burn stored fact, making it ideal for weight loss. That’s largely because the body’s hormonal composition in the morning is set up to support that goal. Even if you hate early alarms, working out first thing in the morning can quickly become second nature. A study recently published in the Journal of Physiology found that exercising at 7 a.m. may shift your body clock earlier, meaning you’ll feel more alert in the morning and get tired earlier in the evening, potentially priming you to get enough rest to wake up and do the same thing the next day. But if you’re really not a morning person, don’t force it: an afternoon workout can also be a great way to avoid an end-of-the-day slump and help you refocus.    READ MORE

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Using yoga to improve your flexibility

Sitting at work, looking down at electronics, and driving every day all limit our flexibility. Chronic pain, stiffness, or reduced mobility are all ways your body may be telling you to work on flexibility. Fortunately, yoga is an incredibly restorative process with some of the most solid evidence for benefiting your flexibility.

Yoga stretches all muscle groups and helps you use breathing to deepen your connection to your body. With regular practice, these five yoga poses will improve your flexibility and may even help you reduce stress and feel more connected to yourself and your surroundings.

Low Lunge Side Bend: this simple stretch releases tension in the hip flexors and stretches the obliques, intercostals, and shoulders.
Silver Surfer: although a bit more challenging in the first pose, this one is great for stretching your shoulders.
Reclining Spinal Twist Eagle Legs: this is a restorative posture that you can hold for 5 to 10 breaths on each side, or even for a couple of minutes if it’s comfortable. It’s especially great for releasing tension in the back.
Screaming Toe With Triceps Stretch: with this pose, you give your toes a big ol’ stretch. Improving flexibility in your feet has a ripple effect up your body—it can help protect the health of your knees, hips, and spine.
Grasshopper: while this is probably the most advanced pose in the list, this one will stretch your abs, hip flexors, quads, and lower back once you get the hang of it.
Access the full article below to learn more about how to execute these poses and how flexibility can positively impact your body.

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