Enjoy the many proven health and wellness benefits of living near nature—without leaving the city.
Your family relies on the amenities and services urban living provides, but everyone also loves weekends spent outside and being active in nature. Choosing the perfect home to fit your family’s lifestyle doesn’t have to be an either-or decision, and you can experience the best of both worlds in The Ridge at Sage Meadows.
Located on the edge of Symons Valley nature reserve, The Ridge at Sage Meadows offers a scenic retreat for your family in Calgary’s northwest.
Living close to nature offers an abundance of mental, physical and social health benefits that truly add to a positive quality of life:
Stress Relief
Living in a dense urban centre can offer services, entertainment and opportunities that a smaller community doesn’t, but it’s also been shown to increase stress levels. This is often referred to as “urban stress,” and it stems from the increased population density and fast-paced lifestyle of city living.
Residing close to nature—and spending time outside daily—can keep stress levels in check and improve our ability to focus. According to the American Psychological Association, more than 25% of people experience chronic stress, which can cause high blood pressure, impair your immune system and contribute to adrenal fatigue.
Spending time in nature can also help ease some of the sensory overload experienced in cities. Take time to unplug and enjoy your surroundings.
Healthier Kids
It’s no secret that modern children spend a lot of time in front of a screen—for example, the average child age five to eight spends three hours per day in front of a screen. That being said, adults aren’t doing much better, and those between age 18 and age 34 spend roughly 34 hours on the Internet every week, according to CTV News.
If you live near parks or other green spaces, encourage your family to spend time outside together—without any technology. It’s a great way to connect with each other, and people also tend to engage in physical activity for longer periods of time when they do so outdoors—which leads to lower risk of obesity and diabetes.
Spending time outdoors also boosts kids’ confidence, promotes creativity, engages them in active play, provides different sensory stimulation than indoor activities and teaches responsibility.
Improve Wellbeing
Living near nature contributes to improving overall sense of wellbeing, be it physical or mental. In fact, a popular Japanese practice call Shinrin-yoku—which translates to “forest bathing”— involves taking regular leisurely walks through nature and soaking in the scenery, which is said to calm heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Spending mindful time in nature has also be shown to reduce rates of depression and anxiety, and even living within view of nature can have a restorative effect and improve overall mood.
On top of the benefits above, living near nature means better air quality. Trees absorb harmful pollutants in the air—which aggravate respiratory conditions, like asthma—and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
At Genesis Land, we want to help your family live a healthy life and enjoy communities where you are connected to those around you to experience a true feeling of togetherness. Click here to learn more about our communities—Sage Meadows, The Ridge at Sage Meadows, Saddlestone, Bayside Estates and Bayview—and discover how together, we make a better place.
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