Starting a healthy and active life can be a challenge for everyone, but it can be easier if we find a more fun way to do it without having the excuse of lack of time. Going to the playground with your kids can be the perfect opportunity to exercise…but how? How about offering an outdoor gym that is comfortable, safe, and useful for all the sporting needs of parents and caregivers?
Outdoor fitness equipment is the perfect complement to promote the wellness of our community, so today we list 3 important mental benefits that outdoor fitness equipment offers to your community:
Develops a sense of belonging
As we grow up, form families, and take care of work and home, it becomes more and more difficult to meet new people and create social bonds with whom to share everyday life. So, not only is useful to regularly go to the playground with your children for more social interaction but sharing the same interest in exercising while children play is an easy way to strike up conversations with other parents and neighbors in the community.
In addition, we know that extra motivation to start an active lifestyle is to share these goals and activities with others. That way, an outdoor fitness gym in the nearest playground is the ideal space to get more engaged in exercise. All this ultimately helps to bond between neighbors, improve coexistence, build a united community that cares about the well-being of all. In the end, this develops a sense of belonging to the spaces we frequent.
Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety
Exercise is not always the first option that comes to mind when one of our family members or neighbors is suffering from depression or anxiety. However, research shows that physical activities outdoors have positive effects on our mental health. When we exercise, our body generates hormones related to positive moods such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphin, which make a real difference in the approach of these two diseases.
Likewise, thanks to sun exposure, we obtain vitamin D, which is related to the production of serotonin and the promotion of a good mood. A plus is that it is not necessary to do a lot of physical exercises to see the small daily changes in our emotional state!
Encourages connection with nature
Training in an indoor space like gyms can be very helpful when you start to exercise, but over time it become demotivating and even boring. This is why working out on outdoor fitness equipment easily allows you to change your environment to one where it’s possible to get fresh air, keep an eye on the kids while they play in the playground, and connect with nature.
Challenge your body differently! Research shows that people who exercise amid nature that public spaces provide are motivated to move and challenge themselves more, in addition to having the chance to interact with others in the community, break the daily routine, and even connect with the present moment which in turn helps improve memory and attention.
What do you think about this topic? Do you know another mental benefit to have an outdoor fitness equipment in your community?
Outdoor exercise spaces have potential benefits on the mental health of the community. It provides a sharing space for strengthening social bonds between neighbors, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, promoting a greater connection with nature, among others. The list can go on and on!
Having this perfect addition to your nearest playground can promote unique experiences and motivate any family to invest time in an excellent quality of life.
Find the outdoor fitness equipment that best suits your community’s needs at Westplay!
