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One of the finest, simple pleasures in life is enjoying the outdoors. There’s nothing quite like watching a sunrise or sunset unobstructed by buildings. A clear view of the horizon can place things into perspective.

Such an experience can instill a sense of “awe,” that feeling when you’re amazed beyond words or comprehension. That sense of feeling small compared to the world. And the sense of wonder as to how it was all possible.

So, there’s no doubt that being outdoors and enjoying activities outside is excellent for your wellbeing. Early studies indicate the sense of awe that such sights as natural wonders can trigger benefits your mental health.

That’s just one benefit of getting outside.

You will learn many more benefits of the great outdoors in a moment. And you’ll also learn how to deal with some of the negatives of nature. How to deal with what might be the biggest drawback of spending time outdoors. And something that can make this problem easier to deal with.

So, as you’re stuck inside reading this, glance over five ways that getting outdoors can help your physical and mental well-being.

Get up and get outside.

So many of us experience much of life from indoors. Your job might be inside. You may ride in an enclosed vehicle to and from work. If you have children, they are cooped up all day at school. And often, even on the weekends, you’re stuck inside. Maybe you are catching up on housework and keeping things tidy.

However, if you can make just a bit of time for Mother Nature, you can reap great benefits. Here are the top five ways that getting out and about can benefit your health:

Boost your immune system.

If you think about the way your immune system works, it makes sense that being outdoors would help boost it. Think of it as a training session.

Non-dangerous organisms found in nature can help your immune system run practice drills. Your immune cells will get a “workout” cleaning out microorganisms that enter your system. This will help your system prepare for more severe invasions.

It’s been common knowledge for decades that if you stay in a clean, germ-free environment, your immune system loses a vital function. It “forgets” what is dangerous and what isn’t.  This can lead to chronic inflammation as your body sets off alarms for organisms that don’t need a response.

And as everyone should know, chronic inflammation leads to many other problems. So, don’t be scared. Get out and get a little dirt on your hands and some grass stains on your knees.

Restore your mental health.

There’s a ping and a beep. Here’s another alert on your phone you don’t remember setting. The honking of a car horn, railway crossings, and rumbling highways. These are all intrusive stimuli. It can lead to overstimulation, raising your stress levels without you realizing it.

Who needs higher stress levels?

Consider spending time in nature to combat this and reduce your stress levels. The outside world, away from human intrusions, offers an emotional and mental refuge. The smell of a flower, the song of a bird, and the way the light plays through the trees. These wonderful distractions will hold your attention while recharging your spirit.

A recent study suggests that spending time in nature and noticing and " taking in” your surroundings helped people feel more relaxed and focused. Who couldn’t use that? An easy and practical way of doing this is hiking in the woods or kayaking on a quiet lake.

Once it’s just you and nature, you’ll be surprised how other worries can melt away.

Increased motivation for exercise

There are a few reasons why getting outside can boost your future motivation to exercise:

• It can offer a nice change from the gym and make working out more enjoyable.

• Socializing is easier since many gyms have an unspoken, no-talking policy.

• It can make the workout seem less strenuous. A study from 2013 found those who walk outside are more inclined to exercise at a greater intensity with less exertion.

You don’t have to run a marathon. Just get out and enjoy the outdoors. Any activity, such as walking the dog, working in the garden, or raking the yard, can boost your motivation.

Reduces depression symptoms

Scientists still don’t have it figured out, but they know it helps. Sunlight is known to help ease depression, low mood, and fatigue. Light therapy can help both major depression and seasonal depression.

It is thought, yet not proven, that sunlight has a protective effect since it helps your body produce vitamin D. Getting regular sunlight could also improve your sleep pattern. If you're not sleeping well, it’s much easier to slump into or stay in a depressive state.

It’s not difficult to get your sun quota and help lift your spirits. Take a break at lunch and get outside. Read a book while it’s still light after work, or you can even head to the beach and work on your tan. Just bring your sunscreen.

Improved sleep

This was mentioned above. But it’s worth covering since good sleep is vital to every body function, mentally and physically.

Your body was meant to follow the sun. It feels awake during the day and sleepy at night, right? Now, your office lights can mimic sunlight, but just barely. Actual sunlight has 200 times the intensity of office lights. So, it’s only natural that exposure to sunlight would have a greater effect on your circadian rhythm.

These benefits can help shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, improve the quality of your sleep, and help you feel more tired at night.

The sun is free, easy to get to, and could help you count less sheep, night after night.

These are five great reasons to get off the couch or out of the office chair and head outdoors. Now, you may be sitting here wondering why you DON’T want to be outdoors. And one primary reason many people avoid the outdoors is the smallest critters in nature.

The pests that bite and sting.

There you are. You’ve finished reading this article and decided to take on the great outdoors. The health benefits are just too numerous to pass up.

You lace up your new hiking boots and head out. And it’s going great. The woods are gorgeous and serene. Your mind flees from the stress of your job and the daily worries. The only sound is the birds, a light breeze, and the soft crunch of your boots on the trail.

Everything is going perfectly.

This is precisely why you’re here, and as the modern world melts away… OUCH. You didn’t see the culprit. And the list of suspects is as long as your arm. Which now has a swollen, painful red spot on it. A red swollen bite… or is it a sting?

Does it matter?

No, not so much. Your body reacts similarly to both. In the case of a bite, the saliva from the insect triggers an immune reaction.  Your immune cells jump into action, and histamine is released. Then comes the swelling, itching, or stinging.

This reaction and the fear of bug bites and stings often keep people from the outdoors. They may have loved the wilderness for a time, but they are done after a sting to many. The agony of the itching and stinging is enough reason to avoid being outside.

However, with technological advances and top-notch product development, a company called MibeTec has produced something simple, economical, and easy to carry. This product will bring the heat to your bug bites and stings.

Bite Away®

This FDA- cleared product brings relief: without chemicals, odor, or mess.

This compact device helps stop your immune reaction to bug bites and stings using the power of heat.

Place the ceramic tip on your bite, select the duration of 3 or 5 seconds, and the device heats up to the effective temperature.

With heat, the histamine response is soothed, taking away the sting and itch of bug bites and stings. Then, the device turns itself off.

It couldn’t be easier.

It’s even been proven safe and effective for children two years and up.

In a clinical study, Bite Away was shown to stop itching with just one application: no greasy rubs, no chemicals, and no odors.

I have such a hard time with bug bites getting huge and sore. I got the Bite Away, and I am amazed at how well it works. Even on my skin that would usually welt, I just zap the bug bite right away, and it does not get bigger (like in the past). It also alleviates the itching for quite a while. I have my family use it, and they love it too – Thumbs way up!

That’s what Troy had to say about his Bite Away. This simple, effective product has over 4,000 reviews and does exactly what it says.

Mosquitos, horseflies, wasps, hornets, chiggers, and other biting pests cannot be avoided if you want the benefits of being outdoors. And let’s face it, even with pests in the air and on the ground, it is worth getting outside.

So, consider a Bite Away today if you want a convenient way to treat those irritating bites and stings.

* In partnership with our friends at Mibetec* Photo courtesy of Mibetec
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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