By now the health benefits of being outside and in nature are fairly settled. Even in this time of social distancing and safety precautions, as one expert succinctly stated: “Nature is not an amenity- it’s a necessity.” There are cognitive and psychological benefits from being outside and having your senses exposed to the elements that are vital to healthy living and aging. There’s research that found just listening to the sounds of nature or watching a video of scenes from nature can have positive benefits. So, for those of you who refuse to leave your homes right now, you can at least benefit from watching and hearing this recent outdoor meditation exercise from The New York Times.

But there’s nothing about the current pandemic that means you must only be inside. You can and should go out– provided you follow public health guidelines. By now you know the score: maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from other people and according to recent CDC guidelines, wear a face-covering over your nose and mouth. You should also minimize your contact with high-touch surfaces. 

Many of us are perhaps outside more than usual, as the options for social distancing may be limited due to crowded living conditions. Or perhaps your job requires that you still show up, or maybe the pent-up energy from staying inside has propelled you to take up running or some other outdoor exercise. If you’re now taking your workout outside, you may have some additional questions about how to exercise and what precautions to take. Writing in The New York Times, health writer Gretchen Reynolds touts the positive health benefits from running right now and the minimal transmission risks of infecting others or becoming infected yourself. Her advice regarding a mask? You’re trying to balance infection control with discomfort, though for public health reasons she suggests wearing a mask. Her article links with several mask options and fabrics to consider. Runner’s World also has advice for safely running outside at this point, including keeping your run time to 30-60 minutes in order not to overwhelm your immune system, and to keep your running activities solo rather than in groups. They also suggest that sweat does not appear to spread the virus but spitting may indeed prove unsafe.

Finally, while you’re taking your time to safely embrace nature, The Huffington Post has one important reminder: Especially for those seeking refuge on hiking trails or hidden paths, don’t forget about the dangers of ticks! Tick season generally occurs from April through September, and given the warmer winter we had this year, ticks seem to be out earlier. Not only is Lyme disease a serious concern from a tick bite, but contracting Lyme could put you in a worse place during the coronavirus pandemic. So do yourself a favor and put on the repellant, check your body for ticks after walking and pull up your socks while you’re socially distancing and enjoying nature.