Whilst not a widely known concept, the role that the environment and the natural world play in all of our lives is a vastly underestimated one. Not only can outdoor trekking and bush walking offer such health benefits that come from moderate continual exercise, but participation in the other outdoor activities and the natural world as a whole, can indeed have health benefits that extend far beyond the benefits of mere fitness and motor functioning in instead include physiological, social, mental biological and economic benefits (Pryor, Carpenter, & Townsend, 2005). Some of these including positive mental manipulation (Sugerman, 2007), increased imagination and creativity (Dowdell, Gray, & Malone, 2011), whilst other studies and research have …show more content…
The natural environment and outdoor setting is a highly useful forum in which to help individuals break away from and even supress depressive symptoms associated with mental illnesses, as well as develop an innate sense of mental and emotional wellbeing. Understandably, while activity in the outdoors such as kayaking and rock climbing can bring about various physical fitness benefits, studies examining the mental impacts, (Pasanen, Tyrväinen, & Korpela, 2014), (Sugerman, 2007) and (Pryor, Carpenter, & Townsend, 2005), also revealed that participants gain a level of mental stabilisation and wellbeing from partaking in events such as these, with some even commenting in surveys that, “I get a renewed sense of life” (Sugerman, 2007, p. 27). Additionally, it was revealed that more frequent and active visiting of the natural environment led to increases and further developments in the nature of the individual’s wellbeing (Pasanen, Tyrväinen, & Korpela, 2014). As a result, it can be seen that maintaining a link or connection to the natural world and breaking away from the urbanised modern world, can not only benefit with mental illness symptoms but moreover can potentially develop an aura of strong emotional wellbeing and …show more content…
Two studies explored this idea of ecology in the urban community, one through an assessment of the way in which children interacted with an artificially made outdoor environment play area in comparison to a nature emphasised play area (Dowdell, Gray, & Malone, 2011), the other study observing the role which a communal garden area played in Port Melbourne setting (Kingsley, Townsend, & Henderson-Wilson, 2009). Dowdell, Gray and Malone’s study (2011) highlighted how the two distinctly different environments affected the way in which the young children would play, specifically noting how, in an ecological sense, that the predominantly natural play area allowed children to explore the natural world, having grass, dirt, sand, mulch and more to play in and interact with, not to mention the overabundance of natural wildlife they were exposed to, and how this in turn impacted on their play time and in what way it was spent. However, the Port Melbourne research revealed that participants and visitors to the community garden
As a child going outside was something that excited you. The freedom of running through the grass or climbing the trees was something that always excited you. As times change and technology improves going outside is not a happy thought anymore. In John Stilgoe’s Outside Lies Magic and Rachel Carson’s The Sense of Wonder, they both discuss the feelings you get while going outside and the importance why we should go outside. Though both have different reasons why we should both books are relevant to today.
There is this feeling we all experience when we step away from the chaos of rushing cars, infrastructure, and artificial lights, and we step into nature. Some describe it as bliss, comfort, excitement, pleasure or just pure happiness. This is the answer to the question Paul Bloom asks “Why should we care about nature?” in his article “Natural Happiness.” Paul goes through this process in which he uncovers the fact that “real natural habitats provide significant sources of pleasure for modern humans”, regardless of our need for food, clean water, and air. There are 3 main arguments that Paul makes in this article that I find particularly interesting, they include: “Our hunger for the natural is everywhere. In many regards our species has already kissed nature goodbye, and we are better off for it. There is a considerable mismatch between
...h has shown that exercise, outdoor activity and socialization lead to increased serotonin levels and overall health (Young, 2007).
Richard Louv, the author of, “Last Child in the Woods: Saving our children from nature deficit-disorder,” talks about nature and its benefits to a healthy development. Time Experiencing with nature allows people to have healthy development since it promotes creativity and imagination. It does not take more than a couple of steps outside to see nature. It is all around us. It can even be right outside our window. Leaving the blinds open can bring peace of mind, just by viewing it. As people experience time with nature, no matter the age, they develop greater creativity and imagination. It is like people today fear nature.
One of these benefits is being able to relieve stress. Some evidence Williams provides to support this is when she writes, “Those living on blocks with more trees showed a boost in heart and metabolic health equivalent to what one would experience from a $20,000 gain in income. Lower mortality and fewer stress hormones circulating in the blood have also been connected to living close to green space” (57). When Williams states this in her article, she demonstrates the positive effects that nature has on the mind just by being around it! An effect so great that it’s equivalent to a “20,000 gain in income”, which a majority of people would be ecstatic about. Whenever I volunteer at The Grotto, I always find it enjoyable compared to volunteering at my high school due to the fact that the Grotto is surrounded by a great deal of wildlife, while on the other hand, volunteering at Centennial High seems to be bland because of it’s stuffy, enclosed, environment. Not only does nature relieve stress on the mind, but it also calms it too. For instance, when Williams writes, “Officers there report calmer behavior in solitary confinement prisoners who exercise for 40 minutes several days a week in a “blue room” where nature videos are playing, compared with those who exercise in a gym without videos” (58). This illustrates how simply seeing nature can affect the human mind, keeping some of the most aggressive, vicious, people calm. Whenever I get angry or frustrated, whether it be a game or homework, I like to go to the Lynch Wood park and lay there, listening to music. This tends to calm me down and revive my focus so that I can work harder. With nature being able to revitalize the mind, it can also aid the body physically too. “In 2009” begins Williams, “a team of Dutch researchers found a lower incidence of 15 diseases—including depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and
My own personal philosophy of leisure has been shaped by past and present activities I do for leisure and why I do them. To me, leisure is the sense of being free from external stressors that I face in my life such as school or work. The positive outcomes from partaking in leisure are generally overlooked and often underestimated. Leisure affects our emotions, our physical and mental health, and aids in the creation of relationships. In my own personal life, I have done and still participate in leisure as a way to sooth myself or unwind from the stress of school or work. The release of pent up emotions and energy for individuals helps their relationships with others and their overall health as well. When stress is released, an individual is
Why should you be physically active and maintain proper nutrition? Because physical health is determined by a combination of controllable and uncontrollable factors. It is crucial that all the possible methods are taken to remain healthy. Physical fitness and nutrition are two of the most important methods anyone at any age can execute to reach/maintain their health goal. In this essay, I will go over both.
I will complete a literature Review in order to find out the benefits of outdoor play and I will get my information from internet, books and placement. This will be completed by 20th April 2016
Physical fitness is usually applied to the framework most typically associated with two classifications: Basic fitness (a condition associated with health as well as well-being) and specialized fitness (the capability to carry out specific sports activities or work-related skills). Physical fitness is actually a condition associated with health with lower risk of early illnesses and the vitality to participate in a wide range of physical pursuits.
On the other hand, nature elements are proven to restore attentional fatigue and contribute both psychological and physiological benefits (Hartig et al., 2003; Ulrich & Simons, 1986; Ulrich et al., 1991). R. Kaplan and Kaplan (1989) proposed a restorative environment requires four features: being away, extent, fascination and compatibility to promote recovery from attentional fatigue. In natural environment, urban dwellers can obtain a sense of freedom from daily routine and projects that require massive mental efforts (being away). Nature usually has abundant and coherent landscape structures. It encompasses trails for exploration (extent), and many attractive elements, such as: animals, trees or plants, water features (fascination), and it
There exists various lifestyles and behaviours, ranging from amount of nutrition intake, mental well-being, to the amount of physical activity engaged individually. Weighing the abundance of factors, this essay primarily aims to focus on the aspect of physical activity in relevance to how it possibly affects one's lifestyle. By cross-referencing to other lifestyles and behaviours, this essay will also demonstrate the importance of physical activity in possibly alleviating the issues raised pertaining to other lifestyles as well. Throughout this essay, there will be frequent references to the socio-ecological framework in examining the aforementioned factors.
Most of us are aware that spending time in nature is good for us. Not so many, however, can say exactly why this is the case. Although understanding the exact reasons why the natural world can positively influence your general well-being isn’t going to increase the benefit, it might just inspire you to get out there and spend more time in our planet’s very own, natural quality-of-life-enhancer - nature itself. Below, we’ve listed five of these reasons in hope of doing just that…
Sports, a very popular past time today, have been around since ancient times. Greek Olympic Games featured events from chariot races, javelin throws, to wrestling. In addition, a game similar to soccer was played in China by the second century BC. In England, a violent rugby type game was even played to settle feuds between villages. With the development of the industrial revolution and the creation of the first public schools, sports decreased in violence and were played more recreationally and constructively. Basketball was invented to help the youth in New England spend their energy in the winter months. Since the early 1900’s sports have been a key experience in the United States (“History of Sports”). I have played sports for many years, and the experience has helped me grow significantly as an individual.
Living a long and healthy life requires more than just good luck. People all over the world go to the gyms and like to exercise for different reasons. Some think that maintaining their fitness will just aim at their physical image, but being physically active will help control their overall health by improving the body's function and preventing sickness. Being physically active is the key to being physically and mentally fit, and helps people become a more balanced, physically fit person. They will not only stay healthier, but will be happier, live longer, and also sleep better. This will help boost a person's mental outlook, and also increase their self esteem. Physical fitness is one of the most important steps to a healthy body.
The benefit of physical fitness is to prevent obesity and encourage a healthy lifestyle thru training and focusing on the body’s compositions. Physical fitness is the measure of the body’s ability to go full capacity. If one doesn’t exercise ones body doesn’t work at its full potential all the time. Exercise can lower the risk of having major problems with ones body and relieve stress.