Breathe In Nature, Sweat Out Stress
There are many benefits to spending time in nature including improvements to cognitive function, building social connections with the people and environment around you, and improvements to overall sense of well-being. These benefits are amplified through physical activity in natural settings.
The Great Outdoors
Spending time in natural environments, such as in parks, forests, gardens, or near natural water sources produces numerous physical, emotional, and social benefits. Research has found that these environments promote the cognitive state of fascination. In contrast to directed attention, which is the cognitive state required to achieve most of our daily tasks like studying, working, driving, or even engaging in conversation, fascination is the opportunity we give our mind to wander, take in the magic of the world, and experience a sense of awe. Even without immediate access to an open green space, we can experience fascination, and reap the benefits of it, from including indoor plants in our work spaces or simply looking at pictures of natural environments during the course of the day. The well-being benefits of fascination include:
- Reduced feelings of anger
- Improved stress management and overall emotional wellness
- Increased feelings of social connectedness (to the people and environment around us)
How Much Time Should I Spend Outdoors?
Recent research found that spending at least 2 hours in contact with nature during the week can increase overall sense of well-being and good health. To reach peak benefit, 4 hours spent in nature is optimal. The total time spent outdoors can be from one long experience in nature or several shorter bouts within a week.
Nature and Exercise (aka ‘Green Exercise’)
The Physical Activity Guidelines for adults recommends:
- 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week
- 2 days of muscle strengthening exercises per week (e.g. weight lifting, body weight training)
Immediate and Long Term Benefits of Physical Activity
Long Term:
- Cardiovascular health
- Prevention of cancer and other non-communicable disease
- Reduction in risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes
- Reduction in risk for depression and Alzheimer’s Disease
Immediate Benefits:
- Improved Sleep
- Sharpened Focus
- Reduced Stress
- Boosted Mood
Exercise Outdoors Amplifies the Benefits
Key benefits of “Green Exercise”:
- Improved self esteem and mood
- Reduction in anxiety disorders and depression
- Stress reduction
- Increased Vitamin D
- Improvements in balance, agility, muscle building (and potentially burn more calories)
- Staving off boredom and burnout
- Social Connection - to our environment and to other people!
In a meta-analysis of 10 studies involving over 1200 participants, Green Exercise was found to improve self-esteem and mood, and for those with existing mental health conditions - the positive outcomes were greatest. These benefits were identified in the first FIVE minutes of outdoor physical activity! (Note: Exercise in Blue Spaces (natural landscapes that include water) contributed to even greater benefit)
Breathe in Nature
RecWell manages nearly 200 acres of outdoor space on campus:
- LaPlata Beach
- Prince Frederick Fitness Zone
- Washington Quad
- Engineering Fields
- Fraternity Row Fields
- RecWell Artificial Turf Fields
- Chapel Fields
- Challenge Course and Climbing Wall (Adventure Program)
- University Golf Course
- RecWell Tennis Courts
- Outdoor Aquatic Center
Other on-campus options to enjoy nature:
- McKeldin Mall
- The Chapel Garden
- Walking and Biking Trails
Sweat out Stress
RecWell supports hundreds of programs and activities hosted in the outdoors:
- Adventure Program - trips, challenge course, climbing wall
- Club Sports - choose from 47 different clubs!
- Golf Course - 18 beautiful holes, driving range, and a putting green
- Intramural Spotrs - outdoor team and individual sports like soccer, flag football, tennis and more
- Tennis/Pickleball Courts -sign up for tennis lessons
- Outdoor Aquatic Center - learn to swim with our outstanding instructors