ArtIcle: Being outdoors is fun, but is it also good for the soul?
By Ann Johnson
A report in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research (published in 2019) adds to evidence that even a brief time outdoors can improve mental well-being, stating as little as 20 minutes can make a difference, even if people do not actively exercise. The study of 94 adults visited urban city parks from summer to autumn, they were provided with fitness trackers to manage physical activity and pre and post visit questions to measure mood. Wellbeing tests indicated an increase of mood (mental health) in 60% of those that took part.
Other studies have shown the value of going for a walk when we are stressed or troubled; that according to science we get more than 90 percent of our vitamin D from casual exposure to sunlight and that nature can calm by stopping to smell natural scents like roses, freshly cut grass, and pine makes you feel calmer and more relaxed.
If we can start to open up opportunities for children and adults to enjoy the countryside, planting and creating forest gardens is not just about recognising the mental wellbeing of the individual, there is a wider impact for as people become more engaged in gardening and the outdoors it leads to a reduction on the use of NHS services. As health services continue to identify the wider benefits of gardening in adopting healthier behaviours it is likely that social prescriptions will begin to increase and encourage more people to engage in outdoor activities and as a result reduce the reliance on medication.
For me as a person with a physical disability, being outdoors is where I use most energy, being outside enjoying something I like doing pushes me to my physical limits. It helps to improve my well-being; it helps me keep fit and is usually the one time I can be assured of a smile and an appetite on my return home.
Forest of Hearts is not just about offering specific mental health focused activities but ensuring that all we do in the outdoors considers, plans for and seeks to improve the mental wellbeing of all those that get involved.