Have you ever wondered why a walk in the woods makes you feel so good? While that Zen feeling is partly about “getting away from it all,” studies show time in nature is also powerfully therapeutic for the body and brain.

More than half of the world’s population lives in an urban setting, and by 2050 that number will increase to a whopping 70 percent.

Urbanization disconnects us from nature with measurable effects on our health.

For example, city dwellers are at a 40 percent higher risk for mood disorders than rural folk. From its anti-inflammatory effects to its positive impacts on mood, time in nature benefits us all.

Here are eight great reasons to spend more time in nature:

1. Vitamin D: Exposure to sunlight enables us to produce this critical hormone. In our increasingly indoor world, many people find they are deficient in Vitamin D. This can lead to a variety of health problems, including depression.

2. Improved sleep: Sleep patterns are tied to the sun’s schedule. Spending too much time indoors away from natural light can alter this rhythm, which plays a role in many […]