You might know that parks and forests are wonderful places to have fun, but did you also know that your mental, physical, and emotional health can benefit from time there as well? A video series from the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation focuses on the many reasons why outdoor recreation is good for you. Let’s explore some of the highlights.

The PA Department of Health’s 2018-2019 Growth Screening Index showed that 33% of Pennsylvania adults and 18 percent of our children are affected by obesity (not to mention that another 32% of PA adults are overweight). When someone is overweight or obese, their risk of developing a chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure increases significantly. Reducing the average body mass index in Pennsylvania by just 5 percent could mean an $8 billion savings in health care costs in the next 10 years and $24 billion in the next 20 years, according to the 2019 “F as in Fat” report developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health. One way to help achieve that reduction is by increasing the number of people getting outdoors.

“Being outside and using outdoor recreation as a form of physical activity can lead to a lot of great physical benefits, said Dr. Michael Suk, Chief Physician Officer for Geisinger System Services. “It could help control your heart rate or decrease your blood pressure. It can help your respiratory system by enhancing your breathing. And overall, it can help you lose weight.”

It is not just our physical health that improves with outdoor recreation. Our mental and emotional health gets a boost as well. Multiple studies show that physical activity outdoors creates feelings of revitalization and positive engagement with others, and it can improve self-esteem and reduce tension, anger, and depression. Stress hormones fall after spending time in nature too, which is good for both our mental and physical health.

“Our parks and forests really promote mental health in the way that they allow the brain to relax,” added Dr. Suk. “Being in or near a park can elevate your mood and elevate your outlook.”

For all those reasons and more, PPFF developed a series of videos on the health benefits of outdoor recreation, which can be viewed at https://paparksandforests.org/our-work/education/the-outdoors-and-your-health. The series includes the following:

●        Health Benefits of Outdoor Recreation – this 7 ½ minute-long video runs through the many mental, physical, and emotional health benefits of outdoor recreation, with input from health experts, park visitors, and recreation professionals.

●        Emotional Health and the Outdoors – this 36 second video gives a quick rundown of how the outdoors can improve our emotional wellbeing.

●        Mental Health and the Outdoors – this 36 second video highlights the ways the outdoors can benefit our mental health.

●        Physical Health and the Outdoors – this 36 second video covers the many ways recreating outside can improve the way our body works.

●        Outdoor Recreation and Children: A Perfect Match – this 4 ½ minute video covers how children benefit specifically from time outdoors.

●        Beneficios para la salud de le recreacion al aire libre – this 2 ½ minute Spanish language version covers the highlights of the “Health Benefits” video.

“We developed these videos for several reasons,” said Mowery. “One is to give the public even more reasons to get outdoors. It’s good for their health! Another reason is to provide parks and recreation professionals with short commercial-style videos that they can use in their programming. Lastly, our volunteers and the public can use them to raise awareness at the legislative level that funding for outdoor recreation is critical– it can cut healthcare costs and help their constituents live longer!”

As a reminder, here is what we know for sure about the benefits of outdoor recreation:

●        The outdoors makes us happy. Spending time in nature reduces stress and increases relaxation. Without the distraction of being plugged into a device, visitors engage with others or with themselves, which is a vital component of self-care and building self-esteem.

●        Nature connects us to one another. The connection is not just to the family and friends with whom we travel, but with the new friends we make when spending time among like-minded visitors.

●        Protected landscapes provide us with clean air and pure water. The forested landscape plays a key role in the overall health of humans and wildlife by removing harmful pollutants from the air while simultaneously cleaning water by capturing rain in the leaves, slowing the water flow through the soil, and by reducing flooding.

●        Parks and forests offer the possibility of deeper meaning. Nature and humans are interconnected.

“We need access to a reliable and well-maintained park and forest system for the health of the environment and our health as well,” added Mowery. “I hope you will join us in visiting parks and forests and helping to ensure that future generations will have the same plentiful opportunities for healthy, outdoor recreation!” 

So, what are you waiting for? Improve your mind, body, and spirit with some healthy, outdoor recreation!

 

Jessica Aiello is a freelance communications professional working on a contractual basis for the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, along with other clients. In this role, she researches and writes grants, social media content, press releases, and articles. Aiello spent nearly 10 years working for the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, managing sustainability, invasive species, and other environmental projects, and has worked with clients ranging from small engineering and landscape architect companies to conservation consulting firms. https://paparksandforests.org/