Mental health and well-being impacts
Of all the benefits highlighted by the studies, mental health and wellbeing was clearly one of the most important. There was clear evidence that participating in outdoor sports has distinct positive effects on general mental health, quality of life experiences, happiness and a sense of life satisfaction. Being active in nature has restorative effects on mood, resilience, positive feelings of vitality and achievement. Conversely, it combats negative feelings associated with stress, anxiety, loneliness and anger.
Many studies highlighted participants’ positive feelings such as pleasure, meditation, independence, excitement, challenge and experiences of “flow.” Personal control, increased sensitivity to one’s own well-being, coping and better stress management were also key benefits described by participants.
Outdoor sports are also associated with changes in brain structure, better brain function and connectivity which leads to protective effects especially for older participants. Outdoor sports have also been used in the treatment of certain conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and depression.
There was evidence of the successful use of outdoor sports as a therapeutic tool for a range of groups with specific needs. These included people with disabilities, children with autism and ADHD, veterans, young people at risk and those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. One prominent study showed that children concentrated significantly better after a walk in the park and achieved results that are comparable with medication by methylphenidate.
It was noted that issues of mental health and wellbeing may well be combined with other benefits especially those of physical health, education and the development of personal and social skills.
