Posted by Beate Frome on 12/1/2018
to
News
Get Your
Children to Play Outdoors
Deepak
Chopra, a well known Doctor and co-founder of the Chopra Center for
Wellbeing is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and
personal transformation. He is board certified in internal medicine,
endocrinology, and metabolism. He is a Fellow of the American College
of Physicians, a member of the American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists, and a clinical professor in the Family Medicine and
Public Health Department at the University of California, San Diego.
He is the author of more than 85 books.
He
recently published a newsletter through his Chopra Center for
Wellbeing, with several ways to improve your mood. Written by Emily
Holland, who is a certified health coach. What she suggested, and has
obviously lots of experience with from her line of work, all rang
true for my children as well. Some simple things seem to make a huge
difference in how well my children feel and what mood they are in.
One of
the ways that stood out to me was, Get Some Sun. Yes, that
simple. Go outside. She says: “Exposure to the sun boosts serotonin
production which explains why some sufferers of depression notice a
worsening of symptoms during winter month. Less time spent out in the
sun can lead to a drop in serotonin, resulting in depressed mood,
anxiety, and low energy.”
Serotonin
according to Wikipedia is also called “5-hydroxytryptamine
is a monoamine neurotransmitter that has a popular image as a
contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness. Biochemically,
the indoleamine molecule derives from the amino acid tryptophan.
Serotonin is primarily found in the enteric nervous system located in
the gastrointestinal tract. However, it is also produced in the
central nervous system, specifically in the Raphe nuclei located in
the brainstem. Additionally, serotonin is stored in blood platelets
and is released during agitation and vasoconstriction, where it then
acts as an agonist to other platelets.”
In
other words, serotonin is a feel good neurotransmitter. It helps us
feel happy and be in a good mood. More outdoor time, more serotonin
production, more happiness and good mood.
Holland
suggests you spend time outside, maybe a walk, some exercise in
nature to get the most benefit out of being outdoors.
My
children play outdoors for several hours a day. It helps them relax
and be in a good mood, be more pleasant to be around, and more easy
going. We have quality outdoor toys to lure them outside and keep
them occupied for lots of imaginative play. A sand box digger can
keep a child outdoors for hours simply shoveling sand, rocks, dirt,
or snow. It gets used all year, every Season, just in different ways.
Another
suggestion Holland brought up in the Chopra newsletter is, to Inhale
a Pleasant Scent.
Another super easy thing to do when you are outdoors enjoying nature.
She says “Your sense of smell may have a more powerful effect than
you think. In addition to the sensation of the odor itself, it may
also conjure up memories and emotions you associate with them. The
smell of fresh-cut grass , for example, might bring you back to
summer days of a carefree childhood, evoking pleasant memories and
boosting your mood. Moreover, according to research, certain scent
can affect your mood whether you associate pleasant experiences with
them or not.”
She
adds, “Fragrances have the added benefit of not only boosting your
mood but certain ones can also boost productivity or relieve stress
and tension.”
Smelling
the fragrances of the outdoors will assist in putting your child in a
good mood. Outdoor play is a place for a child to relax, to live in
the present, to explore, imagine, to make memories and to build a
healthy foundation for the future, storing up serotonin and memories
of the fragrances around his or her play.
The
best thing you can do to help your children have a balanced happy
life, get him or her some quality outdoor toys, like a quality sand
digger, and send them outside to play.
References
https://chopra.com/articles/simple-ways-to-improve-your-mood-in-5-minutes-or-less?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=181127-November-Newsletter&utm_campaign=Newsletter20181127