August is National Wellness Month. This year, we’re celebrating a major component of the Meadowood lifestyle—the positive connection between nature and exercise. Here, on our sprawling, 131-acre campus campus, we frequently exercise in nature to promote the six dimensions of wellness.

Studies have found that being in nature reduces anger, fear and depression; it also increases psychological well-being and happiness. Research has also found that exercise improves mental functioning while reducing stress and depression. Combining exercise and nature magnifies the benefits of both! In a Stanford-led study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science in 2015, one group of participants walked in a natural area, while the other group walked in a busy city neighborhood. After exercising, the group that walked in a natural setting had lower rates of negative thinking, compared to the group that walked in an urban environment

Another benefit of exercising outside? Once we start walking, biking or exercising, the we’re more motivated to continue! Because we’re distracted by the beauty of our natural surroundings, physical activity may feel easier when we’re outside in nature. We tend to move faster and feel like we’re exerting less energy, so we actually go farther.

At Meadowood, we connect wellness to nature in a multitude of ways:

• Our pools. The heated pool features a shining wall of glass that can retract—to let the sun in, and bring water volleyball matches and aerobics classes closer to nature. We also have a therapeutic swimming pool.
• Our outdoor wellness courtyard. The courtyard includes walkways, a stream, an area for fitness classes, an outdoor kitchen and a firepit. With more room for classes, Meadowood can offer more wellness opportunities for residents and staff.
• Beautiful courtyard apartments. Residents can walk right out of their living spaces and into the outdoors, enjoying the beauty of the flowers, plants, trees and birds.
• Spacious apartments at The Grove. Large windows and corner balconies bring the outdoors in at our new building expansion.
• Individual and community gardens. Residents can grow their relationships with friends while getting exercise and nurturing flowers and plants.
• Meadowood’s nature preserve. Residents can take one of our walking paths to the unique nature preserve, where they can bird-watch, spot wildlife and enjoy beautiful views.

Meadowood’s focus on wellness in the great outdoors has grown even stronger in the current climate. We’re committed to fostering the six dimensions of wellness no matter the circumstances. By conducting socially distanced outdoor fitness classes, we stay focused on cardiovascular health, strength training, balance and stretches. We also offer guided meditation in the wellness garden every morning and wellness walks around campus. Our goal is to amplify the benefits of nature and wellness by bringing them together.

We invite you to learn more about our wellness-focused lifestyle. Attend a virtual event or take a socially distanced tour of our naturally beautiful campus. Call 610.584.1000 or visit DiscoverMeadowood.net to sign up for a virtual event or a safe, no-contact tour.