Beautiful weather is just around the corner, so there’s no better time to enjoy delicious meals outside. Between home-cooked family dinners and relaxing nights with friends, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of every opportunity to be outdoors. Whether visiting your favorite restaurant or grilling in your own backyard, alfresco meals can have surprising benefits for your physical and mental health.
#1 – Fresh Air
Eating outdoors can have wide-ranging health benefits. Instead of sitting around the dinner table breathing recycled indoor air, you’ll enjoy the night air and the ambience of the sunset or stars. Staying indoors for an extended time can be detrimental to your health, while fresh air can leave you feeling energized and less stressed. If you want to break free of your routine and enjoy some quality time outside, try eating outdoors for a more satisfying meal.
#2 – It Reduces Stress
Eating outdoors can help you feel more relaxed, especially when trees, flowers, and grass surround you. When your body is de-stressed, you’ll be able to digest food more easily.
In addition, being outdoors increases the level of vitamin D in your body, which helps absorb calcium and keep your bones strong. Vitamin D also helps control your levels of adrenalin, serotonin, and dopamine and give your body the balance you need.
#3 – Nature Soothes You
Research shows that even small natural additions to your home, such as indoor potted plants, positively impact your physical and mental health. When surrounded by natural greenery, you feel soothed physically and psychologically. Studies also show that being outdoors can help keep your blood pressure and heart rate at normal levels.
#4 – It Improves Sleep Quality
Whether enjoying quality time with your family or socializing with close friends, eating outdoors can improve sleep quality. You’re breathing fresh air in a relaxing environment, which can help your body and mind feel rejuvenated. Eating breakfast or lunch outdoors can also help combat lingering fatigue from an often chaotic morning routine. In addition, having dinner outside can also help you ease into a relaxing mood for the night. Combined with a full meal, these benefits can make all the difference in the quality of your sleep.
#5 – It Improves Focus
When you dine outside, you tend to pay more attention to conversations because there are less distractions, which in turn boosts listening and comprehension. Also, when taking a break during your work day, you might find that eating lunch outside enables you to return to your job feeling refreshed and focused.
Customize Your Outdoor Living Space
Eating outdoors has several important health benefits, from reducing stress to helping you feel more relaxed. If you want to spend more time outdoors, consider customizing your outdoor living space with louvered pergola roofs from Outdoor Elements.
Our luxurious louvered roofs open and close to keep your patio comfortable so you can enjoy outdoor meals in any season and let in as much light as you choose. Reach out to Outdoor Elements USA for more information about our range of custom products and features.
