According to smart people we call “Scientists”, sleep is one of the three major Pillars of Health. Along with nutrition and exercise, sleep is something that we should be making a big priority. And, similar to nutrition and exercise, it’s not always about the quantity of sleep we get but also the quality of your sleep.
Health Benefits of Sleeping Outside
Several studies in recent years have shown that one surprising method for escalating sleep quality and eliminating sleepless nights is moving from sleeping indoors to the fresh air of the outdoors, in a camping tent or hammock.
One of the biggest reasons sleeping outside is a helpful sleep aid is the exposure to natural light. One study showed that “Increased exposure to sunlight may help to reduce the physiological, cognitive and health consequences of circadian disruption.” Or, in English, being exposed to sunlight in the morning helps your body wake up and get ready for the day. Who needs coffee, right?
Related Reading: 5 Reasons You Deserve to Travel This Year
Air Quality Sleeping Outside vs Inside
Another argument for sleeping outside is the stark difference in air quality inside and out. The term “Fresh Air” isn’t a thing for nothing. According to Sleep Junkies, “Your brain uses the majority of the oxygen we breathe in”. It’s not surprising that the better quality we breathe in, the better it works. A night outside in the fresh air, improves our ability to think.
If you have an air conditioning system in your house, there is a good chance that the air is stale. Research has shown that stuffy, CO2-dense rooms can slow your metabolism and lead to you feeling more lethargic. As detailed in the previous paragraph, fresh air helps to improve brain and body function, so by the same token stale air has the opposite effect. A night under the stars can help to counter act this by giving you the fresh air to clear out the stale air from your lungs, brain and muscles. Let us translate this, sleeping in a hammock under the stars is more than just relaxing, it’s actually good for you.
Stress Relieving Effects of Sleeping Outdoors
If that didn’t convince you, give us one more shot. According to more smart people, being in nature has big-time stress-relieving effects. And we all need less stress in our lives. A study published in the journal Environment and Behavior showed that just seeing trees is proven to relieve stress. Even just looking at a picture of a tree is proven to lower blood pressure and cortisol. Seriously, no wonder mother nature is so powerful.
Here’s a great idea! Take your hammock, strap it to two trees and sleep between them for a full 8 hours. Breathing in the fresh air. Waking up to the sun. We can’t imagine one ounce of stress in that cozy situation.
