Out in the countryside, things move a bit slower than in the city, and the benefits of country living have been well researched in recent years. Experts have proven that living the country life is beneficial for your physical and mental health, and while city life has its own set of benefits, there’s just something about country living that does the body good.
Rural areas make up 97% of U.S. land but only houses around 19.3% of its population, providing plenty of room to those who appreciate the peaceful, private, and open skies of the country.
With that said, here are five benefits of living in the countryside.
More Time With The Animals
While out in the country, you get to spend more time with the animals, providing you with the basic need for connection and touch. Plus, they serve as fantastic motivators for people, helping anyone lead a mentally healthier life. Playing, petting, and caring for animals can help you relax and give you purpose.
Additionally, many people don’t get to exercise during the day, and having pets or a reason to interact with animals usually results in significantly more exercise or physical activity. Whether you’re buckling up your horse saddles for a ride out in the field or playing fetch with your dog, interacting with animals can help you control weight while lowering your risks of cancer, heart attacks, and diabetes.
More Exposure to Gorgeous Plants and Agriculture Landscapes
Living in the countryside gives you more exposure to plants, landscapes, and nature in general. Being outside in the open air can provide several health benefits. Although you don’t need to go out to the country to find some sunshine and plants, heading out to these areas can help you find more of it than you’ll ever encounter in any city or suburb.
Moreover, immersing yourself in more natural environments can benefit your entire body, improving everything from your memory down to your blood pressure.
In essence, spending more time out in your natural surroundings can be a great way to improve your life, and when you’re living in the countryside, you don’t need to go far to reap its benefits. You can find natural paradise right outside your doorstep.
Fresh Air
The further you get into the country, the better your air quality gets. Researchers may have a couple of ideas behind this, including less pollution and a more significant abundance of trees and grass, providing overall better air quality. Additionally, exposure to cell-improving phytochemicals produced by plants, microbes, and fungi can also improve air quality.
Pollution in heavily-populated places comes from a lack of greenery and harmful particles released into the air from countless vehicles and factories, which are mainstays of an urban environment. These toxic particles can travel into your lungs, impairing breathing and increasing the risk of serious illness. Escaping polluted air for the country usually means better breathing and protection against chronic medical conditions like asthma and heart disease.
More Access to Hiking Trails
If you love adventure and hiking, living in the country can give you the best of both worlds thanks to its natural abundance of hiking trails. Hiking outdoors can provide several benefits, from stunning views, clean air to the crisp sounds and smell of nature. Additionally, it’s a fun and easy way to get your cardio workouts done, lowering your risk of developing heart disease, bone density and boosting your mood.
Enjoy Fresh and Organic Food All Day
One of the best things about living in the countryside is that you can encounter several farms within short drives, allowing you to buy fresh eggs, vegetables, and fruits right from the source. The best type of foods that your body needs is usually abundant in the country, as are vast lands where you can begin growing your food, giving you access to fresh, healthy, and organic food all day.
Meanwhile, in the city, access to organic and healthy food isn’t as extensive and tends to be extremely expensive. The issue is especially prominent in low-income areas, where small markets and gas stations stand-in for organic supermarkets. Meanwhile, people with less to spend can easily buy top-quality and organic foods for cleaner diets in the countryside.
In the past decades, urbanization has been a hot topic, with people moving out of the countryside and going to big cities. However, in the last couple of years, there’s been a slow reversal of the trend. That’s because more people now realize the advantages of country life—and those mentioned are just some of them, promoting an overall better and peaceful quality of life.
