You probably don’t need much encouragement to head outside at this point. With warmer spring weather here, there’s real enticement to get out of your home and head out into the world again. But if you do need additional encouragement, you should know that newly published research once again confirms what many of us have already realized: being outside in nature, among green space, can do wonders for your body and mind. According to this recent study published in JAMA Network Open, examining 14,000 middle-aged women (average age of 61), living in an area with abundant green space is associated with better cognitive function- and remember, good cognitive function at that age is a strong predictor of whether or not someone is at risk for dementia later in life. Coming out of the Boston University School of Public Health, this study also suggests that exposure to green space may reduce depression, another risk factor for dementia later in life. As one of the lead researchers on the study hypothesized, “Some of the primary ways that nature may improve health is by helping people recover from psychological stress and by encouraging people to be outside socializing with friends, both of which boost mental health.” While there’s more research to be done, don’t let that stop you from enjoying a park or plaza where green is the predominant color. To find out more about this study (and others that support a connection between greenery and good health), plan that picnic and click here.

And if you’re thinking of embracing green space as part of your retirement plans, you’re not alone. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal (paywall), there’s a trend afoot for retirees to seek out rural places and spaces where they can be one with nature while also enjoying a slower (and less expensive) lifestyle. While much of rural America is suffering from economic downturns and population declines, there are several “high-draw” rural counties where retirement account expenditures are bringing about a rebirth for communities and a revitalization of a social life for older members of the community.

If you’re not yet sure whether such a retirement move might take place or makes sense for you, you can and should nonetheless find a closer-to-home outdoor activity to boost your mental and physical health in the meantime. While we’ve previously touted the health benefits of outdoor walking and hiking, you may not realize that just creating or honing your own home garden can give you quite the workout while exposing you to nature. For older adults, gardening can not only boost your mental health but there are studies linking gardening to a lower risk of dementia, along with such other health benefits as enhancing hand strength and decreasing inflammation. In fact, the American Heart Association has apparently classified gardening as a moderate-intensity aerobic activity! But like every sort of exercise, you need to start slowly, utilize the proper equipment, and keep your expectations in line (and your limbs stretched both before and after gardening). For more tips and tricks to successfully garden and increase your green exposure, click here and here.

Finally, along with all that good outdoor exposure come some inevitable precautions- the need for sunscreen, along with recognition of your exposure to all sorts of bugs, including ticks. For some up-to-the-minute descriptions of the types of ticks out there, the locations in which they’re found, and the diseases they can transmit, pull up your socks and read here.