HEALTHY WEEK "Outdoors - recharge your batteries" from 5 to 9 June 2023

It is not new that spending time in nature offers numerous benefits. We are often physically active outdoors - this strengthens our cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system and immune system. A natural environment also has a positive effect on our mental health: stress hormones are reduced and our sense of well-being increases. Even cognitive functions are promoted: Attention, creativity and problem-solving abilities improve through regular stays in nature. And last but not least, people develop a deeper understanding of nature and a stronger awareness of environmental protection and sustainability.

Therefore, the offers of the HEALTHY WEEK gave suggestions on how to integrate small, healthy habits in the fresh air into everyday work life as well. Why don't you try the following exercise from Monday's "anti-stress training outdoors" during your next lunch break: Take a short walk through the forest adjacent to the university in Wilschenbruch and consciously notice the different shades of green. Not only does the colour green have a calming effect on our mind, as outdoor trainer Anne Stosch reported, but the exercise also trains our mindfulness and is therefore a suitable method for reducing stress.

The fact that we can also control our energy level through nutrition was the topic of the nutrition workshop "Power Food for the Box" on Wednesday. Nutritionist Dr. Heike Niemeyer gave tips on which foods belong in a healthy bread box for the next hike or bicycle tour and what to keep in mind for the box for the office. For lots of energy, pack nuts for your next outing, for example, which contain healthy fatty acids and vegetable proteins, among other things. Protein-rich foods, such as quark or cottage cheese, will keep you full for a long time. If you eat bread, choose baked goods made from dark wholemeal flour and with grains. And a box for the office should ideally contain few carbohydrates: for example, you can use pepper boats as a "bread substitute" and spread them with herb curd.

It's no secret that it's healthier to cycle to work. But did you also know that an ergonomic adjustment of the bike can help to support health even further? That's why participants brought their own bicycles to the "Bike Fitting" with the team from "GiB - Health in Motion" on Thursday and received advice on how to optimally adjust their bicycles. For example, check whether the handlebar height of your own bike is adjusted so that your sitting position is upright and your shoulders are loosely directed downwards and not pulled up to your ears. A handlebar position that is too high can actually increase tension in the shoulder and neck area, which often occurs due to office work in a seated position.

The impulses from the HEALTHY WEEK show that it is not that difficult to make small habits around exercise, nutrition and resilience healthier in everyday life. Feel free to drop by again at one of the next health events of the Health Working Group!