Spring is a perfect time to embrace the great outdoors, notice the newly budding leaves and blossoms, feel the fresh air and listen to the lilting sounds of birdsong from all the birds now migrating through.

What getting into the great outdoors can do for you

In addition to the sheer pleasure of feeling the sun on your face and greeting your neighbors, time spent outdoors boosts both physical and mental health. Walking is excellent exercise: It improves bone density because it’s a weight-bearing exercise, and you can add ankle weights for an even greater workout. Walking also improves your cardiac health, especially if you walk briskly. Consider adding biking, running or hiking to the mix. Movement releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters and pain relievers. It also reduces stress hormones, lessening incidences of depression and anxiety and increasing overall emotional resilience.

Being outdoors is a great way to improve your mood. Sunlight, along with exercise and social interaction, has been shown to elevate mood and help you stay calm, positive and focused. Even a brief hello to your mail carrier, neighborhood children, and local friends and acquaintances will lighten your overall mood.

Your body needs sunlight to make vitamin D, which has been found to improve the body’s immune response and helps to fight off colds and other illnesses. In the warmer weather, just five to 15 minutes outside, two or three times a week, is enough. (In the winter, you can increase that a little.)

Don’t be surprised to discover that time spent outdoors can improve your sleep, too. Daylight helps set and maintain the circadian rhythm, resulting in sleep that is more likely to be refreshing and restorative.

Stuck on a problem at work? Taking a walk and allowing your mind to wander can help you come up with a solution you may not have thought of before.

The average American spends 90% of their time indoors, according to government estimates. Too much of that time is spent being sedentary, slouched down in front of a cellphone, laptop or television screen. Studies have shown that sitting is the new smoking: It’s that bad for our overall health! Uninterrupted periods of sedentary behavior shorten our lifespan and contribute to an increased risk of developing a wide range of chronic diseases.

So, motivate yourself to get out in the fresh air every day! If you do, it will soon become a healthy habit that you’ll miss on days you can’t go outside. Here are some activities to add to your daily routine that will have you enjoying the outdoors:

• Take a walk, even if brief, after lunch or dinner (extra bonus, this helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes).
• Ride a bike for pleasure, errands or your daily commute.
• Do your workout out-of-doors, with your own routine or using the equipment at your local park.
• Join a community garden: A twofer — you’ll be outdoors and meeting new people.
• Play an outdoor sport: Get your heart rate going and enjoy the camaraderie.