Backyard health boosters!

The secret to great health and happiness lies just outside your back door.

- —BY GABRIELLE LICHTERMAN

Sleep better by taking a dip

It's the best time of year to jump into a pool to swim laps, play badminton or do water aerobics. And when you do it twice a week for 60 minutes, you'll end up falling asleep 8 minutes faster and getting deeper, more restorative sleep, reveals a U.K. study. Physical exercise increases the production of the hormone melatonin that regulates sleep-wake cycles. And being active in water is easier on your joints, so you keep at it.

OR TOAST S'MORES Spark up a firepit to make your favorite outdoor summer treat, or just sit back and watch the flickering flame, and you'll get better sleep. An Indian study shows that gazing at a flame reduces activity in your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for your "fight or flight" response), allowing you to relax more easily and drift off.

Amplify joy with an iced latte

There's nothing like putting up your feet on a patio lounger while sipping your favorite cold drink. Now, research in the