Time Outdoors and Your Mental Health

Written By: River O’Leary

July 26, 2024

For those of us who are home bodies, it can be hard to take that first step to get outside. Once we get over the hurdle of stepping out of our front door, the outdoors has plentiful benefits for our mental and physical health. Being outside gives us moments to breath more deeply and slowly, and soak up some vitamin D – even when it is cloudy.

A study of 20,000 people in 2019 found that those who spent at lease 2 hours total per week outside in green spaces reported feeling healthy and a strong sense of well-being, across ethnicity, class, age, and abilities. Looking at nature or listening to natural sounds can help energize a tired brain in the middle of repetitive tasks.

One contributing factor to the value of being outside is the sense of awe, and the feeling that we are a small part of a whole interconnected network of living beings. Simply feeling connected to nature can have similar effects to being outside while still reaping the benefits. Even watching nature documentaries can have a positive effect on our mental health!

However, neither a sense of awe or feeling connected to nature are perfect substitutes for being outside, especially in “high quality” natural spaces. The fewer urban influences, and the more natural elements, the greater the benefit. Cleaner outdoor spaces can also lead to better mental health outcomes.

How are Our Brains Impacted by Being Outside?

Being outside improves our overall mental health, including mood, affect, and subjective well-being. But how does it do this? Taking time outdoors improves brain activity, cognitive function, and cognitive flexibility. It can improve our sleep, inner sense of calm, and our ability to pay attention and focus. Spending time outside can even make our social interactions with others more positive, including making us more empathetic, cooperative, and generous.

Other contributing factors to improved mental health through spending time outdoors include some protective factors. Spending time outside in nature decreases our risk of developing mental health disorders. Time outside decreases our stress hormone levels, leading to decreased feelings of stress. This lowers our levels of anxiety, irritability, and aggression. Being outside lowers feelings of isolation, which can lead to depressive symptoms.

What Else is Impacted by Being Outside?

There are also several physical benefits to being outside. Being out in nature has positive effects on our hearts, including lowering blood pressure, decreasing heart rate variability, and decreased risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Spending time outdoors has positive effects on our lungs, including decreased incidence of asthma and death due to respiratory problems. Absorption of Vitamin D from the sun gives our bodies the ability to absorb crucial minerals like calcium and phosphorus. Being outside enhances our immune systems and encourages healthy movement. The physical benefits of being outdoors have mental health benefits, as physical health directly impacts mental health.

Spending time in nature is so important to our well-being, that even the government, private companies, and health organizations are paving the way for greater access to green spaces.

Here are some examples:

1) Cities are acknowledging that the lack of parks and green spaces, referred to as “park deserts,” are a problem for their residents, and are making efforts to build more parks to resolve this issue.

2) A growing number of states are approving “forest schools,” in which children do much of their learning and play throughout the day outdoors.

3) Companies are incorporating green spaces into their buildings to attract skilled workers.

4) Medical organizations are increasingly recommending time outdoors as part of treatment. Park RX America prescribes time outdoors to their medical patients, with a list of 10,000 parks on their prescription list!

Here are Some Ways to Spend More Time Outside:

 Taking a walk in your neighborhood, at a park, or a nature preserve

 Sitting on a bench in an area with plants and trees

 Laying on the grass watching the clouds go by

 Sketching or painting plants, animals, and landscapes

 Watching the sunrise or sunset

 Pick-nicking

 Gardening

 Photography

 Going on a hike

 Kayaking or canoeing

Spending time outside has plentiful benefits on our mental and physical well-being, and there are many ways to enjoy the outdoors. Next time you’re feeling stressed, lonely, angry, or just need a boost, consider taking some time outside to relax and re-connect. What are the ways you like to enjoy the outdoors?

Interested in learning about more ways to improve your mental health? Give us a call today at 217-203-2008 to start promoting peace from within.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8125471/

https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/research/nature-how-connecting-nature-benefits-our-

mental-health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6562165/

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