Why Our Brains Need the Outdoors

Source: Claire Wilcox, personal photo

This May, I backpacked the Middle Fork of the Gila River for six days, a healthy, green paradise in the desert, filled with ponderosa, sycamore, and poplar trees of all sizes and red cliffs that tower hundreds of feet into the sky. We crossed the river nearly two hundred times in water shoes and became “one” with schools of trout and thousands of busy little tadpoles. We even saw a bear and were a degree separated from two wolves. We spoke little, saw few other hikers and had no cell phone contact.

I came out of this trip with a completely new feeling. No matter what ails me – insomnia, cravings, indecision, undue worry – trips like this where I spend a lot of time moving my body, breathing fresh air and appreciating the wonder of the complex and balanced natural order of things, always seem to provide relief.

Nature promotes wellbeing

I’m not alone. Many of us rely on the healing powers of nature for emotional recovery. Just ask someone about their experience over the past year and a half who works in the outdoor industry or spends a lot of time in the wilderness. They will all tell you that trail usage has increased measurably across the country, with more descents and a shortage of biking, hiking and climbing equipment as people flee to nature for their spiritual in these turbulent times To regain health.

And research literature also supports the positive effects of green spaces on mental health. A recent study from the COVID era in teenagers found that those who were more exposed to nature reported greater wellbeing. Greenspace exposure has also been linked to reductions in physiological stress markers such as heart rate, blood pressure, and salivary cortisol.

Nature promotes recovery from mental disorders

Although the studies are mostly preliminary, with small sample sizes, there is growing evidence that outdoor activities can promote recovery from a variety of psychiatric disorders, including attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder, substance use disorder / addiction, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder Insomnia.

Source: Claire Wilcox, personal photo

Wilderness therapy is an increasingly popular intervention around the world. Originally developed for adolescents and adolescents in difficulty, it is now also offered to adults where it is used to treat anxiety, depression and substance use disorders. People who have gone through wilderness therapy programs report great benefits, including less anxiety, better coping skills, improvements in relationships, and greater success in making desired behavior changes.

How nature increases well-being

1. Physical exercise. When we’re outdoors, we move more, and the increase in exercise is likely an important causal factor in determining the benefits of time outdoors for our mental health. Numerous studies show that physical activity promotes a positive mood, improved alertness, reduced anxiety, recovery from addictions, and better sleep.

One fascinating study showed how this could be done on a neurochemical level. People with methamphetamine disorder who were randomly assigned to high-intensity exercise programs experienced greater normalization of their dopamine function in a part of their brain that is involved in controlling impulses. This would almost certainly help people stay clean, and suggests that exercise could be an important addition to addiction treatment.

Although people enjoy exercising outdoors more than they are indoors, the jury still disagrees on whether physical exercise outdoors is more effective for mood enhancement compared to indoors. This raises some questions about whether the outdoors element is so important and whether the benefits we see from the green period are mainly due to physical activity alone. However, additional research shows that other things are going on and that time in nature is important in and of itself.

2. Cognitive and attention benefits. Studies show that, in addition to exercising, spending time outdoors can improve our mental abilities, which would help us make smarter decisions and change bad habits. A preliminary study showed that there was a reduction in impulsivity from exposure to images outdoors, and a growing body of work shows that spending time outdoors could improve awareness in Alzheimer’s disease.

3. Psychosocial services and community building. Because outdoor activities – like climbing, team sports, and even backpacking or hiking – often require us to work with and rely on other people, especially when challenges arise, we build important relationship skills outdoors.

Community building is a key component, especially in wilderness therapy, and people report that the ability to feel empathy and trust others increases during their treatment and that the effects last long after they return. Accordingly, overcoming physical and psychological obstacles in the outdoor scenario increases self-efficacy, increases mental resilience and can also improve body image with greater athleticism. All of these can contribute to faster recovery from a wide variety of disorders.

4. Quiet time, brain calm and spiritual growth. After all, nature gives us the much-needed separation from excessive technology, urban noise and clutter, and stressful work and living environments. And that gives us perspectives.

Youngsters in wilderness therapy programs report that backpacking trips offer relaxation through “simple physical exercise without intense or focused attention”, which enables them to “let their thoughts wander” and “reevaluate what is important in life”. For many of us, spending time outdoors can increase our feeling that beyond everyday sensory experiences there is something greater than ourselves; we can leave the outdoors with greater sense of purpose. Spirituality is a source of comfort for many people, and higher levels are associated with greater wellbeing.

Let’s go outside

Although more studies are needed (particularly randomized trials and research to determine the sustainability of the effects of outdoor therapies), those of us who value the wild should continue to seek tranquility in nature. Not everyone, however, has a natural propensity for the outdoors, and physical disabilities can limit people’s ability to use green spaces, so it may not be the best option for everyone.

That said, there are plenty of activity options to choose from – and in my personal opinion it’s always worth trying. Plus, it’s cheaper to go outside than therapy, and less likely than drugs that cause side effects – if it works, it’s a win.

source https://outdoorsportsnews.com/why-our-brains-need-the-outdoors-4/