does an outdoor physical program help improve mental health?

does an outdoor physical program help improve mental health?

Introduction

Physical exercise is used to strengthen our bodies. However, apart from improving physical health, exercise has been known to reduce health risks such as diabetes stroke and cardiovascular diseases (Groot et al. 2016). Research has shown that physical exercise can enhance mental health in different ways, such as reducing depression by improving the self-image and sexual appeal of a person hence improving their self-esteem. It also helps produce certain chemicals in the brain that are responsible for different brain functions. However, mental health is diverse and involves many types of disorders. The extent to which physical exercise can be used to improve mental health, therefore, varies depending on the patient’s mental disorder and the type of physical program used. This research paper looks to answer the question; does an outdoor physical program help improve mental health?

Literature review

There is a large body of literature on studies concerning the benefits of physical exercise on mental health. Studies have been conducted on the relationship between the different types of physical exercise and their effects on mental health. Previous studies have confirmed that physical exercise has positive effects on cognition and is also an effective treatment for dementia. However, recent studies have shown that almost a third of every patient on physical exercise for mental health fails to achieve the intended mental health benefits (Pengpid & Peltzer 2019). This is because there lacks clear clinical guidelines for the use of physical activity in treating mental illnesses. This review will look to expand the knowledge available on the use of physical exercise on mental health treatment so as to help clinicians have informed knowledge while using physical activity for mental health treatment.

Many clinicians and therapists have recently been using outdoor physical programs in the treatment of mental health. This is due to the belief that exercising outdoor records better health benefits on mental health patients with different disorders. However, some argue that there is no difference in the health outcomes of indoor or outdoor exercise programs.  Outdoor exercise also referred to as “Green exercise,” combines two health-enhancing activities, physical activity and outdoor therapy. Combining these two activities should be able to provide exceptional results. Moving outdoors alone can help reduce anger and depression as well as improve one’s mood (Barton & Pretty 2010).   Research has also proven that outdoor exercise around water and greenery helps improve self-esteem better than indoor exercising. Studies have identified positive effects on self-reported mental well-being after outdoor exercise as opposed to those reported following indoor exercises.

In addition to using physical activity, outdoor exercise programs make use nature in improving mental health. Outdoor exercise exposes one to sunlight, which increases serotonin, a hormone that affects mood. This helps reduce anxiety, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and depression. Physical activity, on the other hand, produces endorphins, another hormone that boosts mood. Combining these two methods of increasing the production of mood-boosting hormones increases the effectiveness of therapy in improving mental health. Research has proven that physiological stress recovery is faster during exposure to pleasant nature sounds compared to any other sounds (Alvarsson & Nilsson 2010). Outdoor exercise programs work more effectively as very low physically intensive activities are required for the exercise to be effective.  This is helpful for those seeking to improve their mental health but cannot handle high intense physical activities.

Outdoor exercise programs give patients the chance to interact and socialize with people. Social interactions are important in improving mental health as they help the patient reduce the feeling of loneliness and isolation. This goes a long way in helping reduce depression on mental health patients. Indoor exercise programs, on the other hand, subject the patients to repeated familiar surroundings, which can result in boredom and reduced morale, which has negative effects on the improvement of mental health on the patient. Outdoor exercise programs that involve walking the patients in forest parks have proved to be particularly helpful to patients. This is because forest therapy alone, without the inclusion of physical activity, helps reverse the impact of stress-related illnesses (Krieger 2015). Outdoor programs help reduce the tension that comes with physical exercise. It is more enjoyable hence helping relieve stress. Outdoor exercise programs are beneficial because it gives patients diverse options in mental health treatment, making it more effective than indoor exercise.

Conclusion

Outdoor exercise programs have been proven to be better than other physical activities in improving mental health. The programs provide all-round benefits by combining the benefits of physical exercise and the outdoor environment in improving mood and self-esteem as well as reducing stress. It also includes social aspects that most mental health patients crave and increases the enjoyment of the exercise, which brings about positive effects in mental health. Clinicians should, therefore, put great emphasis on the use of outdoor physical programs as they have been proven to be very effective in improving the health outcomes of various mental disorders in patients.

References

Groot, C., Hooghiemstra, A. M., Raijmakers, P. G. H. M., Van Berckel, B. N. M., Scheltens, P., Scherder, E. J. A., … & Ossenkoppele, R. (2016). The effect of physical activity on cognitive function in patients with dementia: a meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Aging research reviews, 25, 13-23.

Pengpid, S., & Peltzer, K. (2019). Prevalence and associated factors of different levels of physical activity in a national survey of adults in Laos. African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences (AJPHES), 25(4), 481-489.

Barton, J., and Pretty, J. (2010). What is the best dose of nature and green exercise for improving mental health? A multi-study analysis. Environmental Science and Technology, 44, 10, 3947–3955.

Alvarsson, J. J., Wiens, S., & Nilsson, M. E. (2010). Stress recovery during exposure to nature sound and environmental noise. International journal of environmental research and public health, 7(3), 1036-1046.

Krieger D 2015, ‘Walking in the Forest Is Better for You Than You Can Imagine,’ A Plus, http://aplus.com/a/a-walk-in-the-woods-for-health-andhealing?no_monetization=true.