For most people, there are all types of things that they can and should be doing to help improve their overall health. Whether it’s your mental, physical, or emotional health that you’re worried about, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to spend more of your time getting in touch with nature in the outdoors. And while you’ve likely heard this suggestion before, you may not be so sure as to exactly what spending time outdoors can do to help improve your health. So to show you just why you should be heading outside more often, here are three ways that being outside can improve your overall health

To Reduce Fatigue

When you’re outside, you’re able to get a lot more vitamin D than you can when you’re indoors, even if you’re in a room that has great natural lighting shining in on you. And while you can get vitamin D from certain foods, Abigail Wise, a contributor to Real Simple, shares that getting it from the sun is a great way to not only boost your vitamin D intake, but to also feel an immediate effect on your fatigue levels. Being in the sun and getting some fresh air into your lungs can help you feel energized and keep you from getting fatigued throughout the day. But if you are going to be spending more time in the sun, make sure you’re taking the necessary precautions to protect your skin from too much sun exposure and that damage that can be done from too much sun.

Increase Your Levels Of Concentration

If you’ve been having trouble staying on task at work or getting your chores or projects completed, you may want to take a step outside as a way to increase your ability to concentrate. According to Dr. Patricia Thompson, a contributor to Mind Body Green, taking just a 20-minute walk outside when you can either in green space or can see green space, can help improve your concentration once you return to your work. When you give yourself the chance to observe and be a part of nature, you’re less likely to allow the small distractions of your day stress you out, which will do wonders for your concentration.

Boost Your Immune System

Spending time outside can also do a lot to help you get a boost to your immune system. According to Kevin Loria, a contributor to Business Insider, being outdoors, especially in a forested area, can help with your cellular activity, which can have anti-cancer effects as well as just boosting your immune system overall. So if you’ve been feeling a little low on health and energy, try getting some fresh air and spending a few extra minutes among nature to help with this.

To give you even more reasons to spend more time outside, consider using the information mentioned above to help you plan more outdoor time during your day.