Outdoor Activities can Improve Mood and Reduce Anxiety

Outdoor nature-based activities are effective for improving mental health in adults, including those with pre-existing mental health problems, a new study published in the journal SSM - Population Health has found. The research led by the University of York screened 14,321 NBI records and analyzed 50 studies and showed that activities lasting for 20 to 90 minutes, sustained for over 8 to 12 weeks, have the most positive outcomes for improving mood and reducing anxiety.

Gardening and exercise were among the activities associated with mental health benefits. Engaging in conservation activities was also reported to make people feel better, as did ‘forest bathing’ (stopping in a forest to take in the atmosphere).

Nature-based interventions (NBIs) support people to engage with nature in a structured way to improve mental health.

Lead author of the study, Dr Peter Coventry from the Department of Health Sciences, said: “We've known for some time that being in nature is good for health and wellbeing, but our study reinforces the growing evidence that doing things in nature is associated with large gains in mental health”.

While doing these activities on its own is effective, among the studies they reviewed it seems that doing them in groups led to greater gains in mental health.

However, there was less evidence that outdoor activities led to improved physical health. This research suggests that there need to be more appropriate ways to measure the short and longer-term impact of nature-based activities on physical health.

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The substantial, sustained investment in the community and place-based solutions such as nature-based interventions are likely to play an important role in addressing a post-pandemic surge in demand for mental health support.

Source-Medindia