Lower blood pressure by getting outdoors

When the days are cold and dark, the last thing we feel like doing is going outside. A roaring fire and Netflix sounds preferable, right? But heading outside, even when it’s freezing, could be good for you. It’s so ingrained in the Nordic way of life, it even has a name – friluftsliv. ‘There’s evidence that time in the great outdoors lowers blood pressure and heart rate,’ says psychologist Dr Sam Cooley. ‘When we’re outside and moving, endorphin release and other chemical changes [also] occur that support feelings of happiness.’