Updated October 9th, 2024
5 ways to boost your mental health with help from the great outdoors
Seeing red for feeling blue? Just step outside!
Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day, designed to raise awareness of mental health challenges around the world and mobilize efforts to support mental health. During these challenging times, those who are feeling stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness and other complicated emotions are not alone. According to Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, nearly a quarter of the U.S. population is experiencing symptoms of depression amid the pandemic.
Connecting to nature and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is beneficial to both your body and mind. Getting a daily dose of nature is an easy, free way to boost your mood and can be as simple as heading to your favorite park, greenspace – or even your back yard.
Introduce a few of the activities below into your weekly routine to help relieve some stress.
NEED HELP RIGHT NOW? While nature is a valuable tool to alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression, it is not a replacement for speaking with a mental health professional. If you need to talk, call:
- The Miami Valley Warmline: 937-528-7777
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
MetroParks Mindfulness Walks: Five Rivers MetroParks offers four short, easy Mindfulness Walks where visitors can access mindfulness prompts along the trails on their smart phones. These mindfulness activities — developed with input from Dayton Children’s and Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services — are designed to help people learn how reduce stress and improve their mental health outdoors. Research shows just 20 minutes a day immersed in nature significantly lowers stress hormone levels. Find MetroParks Mindfulness Walks using MetroParks’ mobile app in Eastwood, Huffman, Sunrise and Possum Creek MetroParks. Prompts are also available in Spanish online.
Take a walk, run or bike: Mental and physical health are closely related. Moving your body has many benefits and exercising outdoors provides benefits traditional indoor workouts do not. Exercising releases endorphins, which help boost your mood. Additionally, spending time outdoors helps you stock up on Vitamin D – the “sunshine vitamin.” Vitamin D is critical for your body and mind to function well, and a lack of it contributes to seasonal affective disorder.
- MetroParks Pro Tip: Getting exercise doesn’t necessarily mean you have to run a weekly 5K. Just 30 to 40 minutes of exercise a few times a week will improve your heart heath, according to the American Heart Association. A great place to start a wellness journey is by walking MetroParks’ Heart Healthy Trails.
Forest bathing: A concept started in Japan called “shinrin-yoku,” forest bathing is simply spending a peaceful moment in nature with your senses engaged. Spending mindful time in nature is thought to boost both physical and mental wellbeing.
For those who need a little guidance, focus on your feet, hands, ears, eyes and nose for two minutes each. Note what you’re experiencing during these sensory moments, be present and relax during your time immersed in greenspaces.
- MetroParks Pro Tip: Between working, studying and schooling from home, people may find it hard to get outside for a dose of nature when they’re stressed. While getting outside offers maximum benefits, brining nature indoors is a great option for a calming effect. Additionally, MetroParks posts a weekly nature break so those at home can enjoy the sights and sounds of nature from their devices. Follow Five Rivers MetroParks on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube for MetroParks’ moments in nature.
Sit or walk by the water: Tap into your “blue mind.” The term refers to the mildly meditative state people fall into when near, in, on or under water, according to marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols. Research has proven that spending time near the water helps elevate happiness.
- MetroParks is home to expansive lakes, ponds, streams and rivers, all of which can help provide a calming, blue mind effect. Here are just a few places to visit in MetroParks:
- Eastwood MetroPark: Sit by the lagoon or watch the Mad River Run’s water swirl around.
- Possum Creek MetroPark: Walk the short trail around Argonne Lake then sit and relax by the water and watch it ripple in the wind.
- Aullwood Gardens MetroPark: Sit along the banks of the Stillwater River to watch the calm movement of the water.
- MetroParks Pro Tip: Download MetroParks’ mobile app, powered by OuterSpatial, to locate points of interest in the parks, including bodies of water. Download the app.
Note: Swimming is not permitted at any MetroParks location.
Take a breath: Meditation is a powerful tool people use to manage stress since breathing and clearing the mind are scientifically proven to help control anxiety and reduce stress. Head outdoors to sit and spend 10 minutes focusing on your breathing.
Those who are new to meditating may need some guidance. Here are some useful tools:
- Headspace on YouTube
- Calm on YouTube
- Yoga Journal: Guided meditation videos
- Psychology Today: Diaphragmic breathing exercise
Additional calming activities and hobbies: There are numerous hobbies that promote health and wellness that also allow you to engage in the great outdoors. Try some – or all – of the following:
- Start a nature journal: Journaling is an effective way to note what is coming up in your mind. Mix journaling with fun and interesting things you find in nature. Draw pictures, describe sounds, record your favorite spots and return to those that make you the happiest.
- Make a date with your pet: According to the CDC, there are many benefits to owning a pet. Pet owners are more likely to go outside and get exercise. Plus, being around animals you love helps manage loneliness and depression through companionship. Spend some quality time with your furry friend once a week in a MetroPark.
- MetroParks Pro Tip: Looking for a favorite trail for you and your pooch? MetroParks has a roundup of dog-friendly trails to visit on your next adventure.
Note: Dogs must always be on a leash no longer than 8 feet in MetroParks.
Follow Five Rivers MetroParks on Facebook and Instagram to find your new favorite MetroPark to find peace and de-stress.