Many of us are used to urban living- big cities are the central hub for our workplaces, educational institutions, and recreational centers. On paper, it might seem like the ideal way to live; you’ve got the world at your fingertips. However, in reality, urban living has a lot of pitfalls you might not even realise are stopping you from living your best life. 

Do you find yourself feeling burnt out, restless, or uninspired more often than not? It might be time for a change, and this is where relocation can help. Urban living is seen as the default move for many of us, making it hard to know where to start when trying to detangle yourself from the web of inner-city living. Here are four of the life-changing benefits of living outside of the big city that might surprise you.

Peace and quiet

While living in the rabble of big cities, it’s easy to become desensitised to the level of noise that surrounds you at every waking moment. The regular traffic of commuting crowds can begin to seriously affect your general wellbeing in adverse ways you might not notice. Cars, subways, and motorbikes are a constant white noise in big cities. If you’re unlucky enough, this might even extend into the small hours of the night.

Noise pollution can not only have some nasty side effects on the wellbeing of your hearing (you can learn more about that here), but it can also negatively impact your state of mind. It has been scientifically proven that noise pollution can trigger the body’s stress hormone, leading to a number of potential ill effects.

Psychological benefits

As mentioned above, getting some peace and quiet can help to save you from a buildup of chronic stress. But this is only one of the psychological benefits that rural living can provide you with.

Nature is another factor that’s been proven to help human mental health improve- we’re hard-wired to find these settings relaxing. Therefore, relocating to a new environment (where you’ve got a host of beautiful nature trails at your doorstep) can help you alleviate negative emotions and feel more at peace with your surroundings.

Health benefits

Living near the great outdoors can have some great benefits to your mental health, as already mentioned. Mental health and physical health, however, affect each other heavily. By staying relaxed and mentally well, you can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and illness. But this is just the tip of the iceberg- did you know there are a number of other ways rural living can positively impact your physical health? 

There are a myriad of reasons that urban living isn’t ideal for maintaining peak physical health. For instance, air pollution can have some serious adverse effects on the health of your lungs, with some bigger cities in the world already declaring this to be a major threat to public health. This pollution isn’t exclusive to the air, either, with water pollution and shortages posing a similar imminent threat. 

Additionally, crime rates in highly-populated areas are much higher than in quieter rural environments- something which can cause some big problems if you want to go for a jog around your neighbourhood (or even just take a walk to and from work) on your own. 

Cheaper rent prices

As if the various benefits to your physical and mental health aren’t enough to persuade you that rural living might be worth the hype, it often works out to be much cheaper than it’s inner city alternative- something that a reputable real estate agent can confirm. 

Not only is rent incredibly inflated in town centres, but the surrounding supermarkets, transport, and utilities suffer from the same affliction. Population density does drive up cost- because density is equal to demand. By extracting yourself from such artificial price increases, you can be sure that your wallet will thank you.

Conclusion

While moving house is no mean feat (and comes with a number of logistical problem-solving requirements) it can set you up for a happy and successful life. The right move can entirely change your life forever in the best ways possible- if only you’re willing to put in a little bit of work. Drastic changes are scary, but sometimes they’re necessary. By taking these facts of rural living into consideration, you’ll be able to make the best choice for you. Sometimes, by taking the plunge, you’ll discover your life will improve in ways you hadn’t even realized it could.