REPs Magazine Spring 2016 | Page 12

RESEARCH
Evidence for outdoor exercise seems to be mostly based around three areas :
• Being surrounded by nature
• Getting some fresh air
• Exposure to sunlight
Exercise in a picturesque green environment with plenty of fresh air improves mental health . Mood is elevated , as are perceived energy levels . A review of ten studies by the University of Essex showed that it takes just five minutes to get this boost in mood and that it can be achieved through walking , cycling , gardening , fishing , horseriding and even farming . Both low and high intensity exercise produced this mood boosting effect with changes strongest in younger participants and those with existing mental illness .
Another review by a US medical college compared the psychological benefits of exercising indoors with activity in natural environments . The latter was consistently associated with increased energy , positive moods and feeling revitalised along with decreases in tension , confusion , anger and depression . In fact , a series of studies by Ryan et al ( 2010 ) found that 90 percent of people experienced increased feelings of energy from being active outdoors .
A word of caution though , just being outside might not cut it ; the environment may need to be appealing to reap the benefits . Runners reported feeling more restored after running in a park than when doing the same run in an urban environment and some studies have suggested that being surrounded by unpleasant scenery may actually worsen the mood . It ’ s not just green environments that seem to have positive effects , researchers at the University of Exeter are studying the possibility that so called ‘ blue space ’ or places near water are also powerful mood boosters .
One aspect of exercise outdoors that has received close attention is exposure to natural light . Whilst there are risks of too much sun , lack of light may be just as bad . Sunshine appears to provide numerous benefits including :
• Boosting stores of vitamin D , which does more than keep teeth and bones healthy but also looks after eyes and may protect against heart disease , cancers , diabetes , arthritis and MS .
• Increasing serotonin levels , a chemical in the brain known to elevate mood and regulate appetite .
• Boosting testosterone levels in men , which may help to improve muscle growth .
• Strengthening the immune system by improving the function of special T cells responsible for protecting against illness .
• Increasing levels of nitric oxide in the body . This can widen blood vessels and lower blood pressure .
• Improving both memory and sleep . Getting more of the latter may further improve memory and offers a wide range of other health benefits .
There may be benefits beyond psychological and physical changes too . Some studies suggest that exercise adherence may be increased by outdoor workouts . A Canadian study found that postmenopausal women were more likely to attend a workout class delivered outdoors versus the same routine indoors . In fact , attendance rates across the 12 weeks were 97 percent . The same US review mentioned earlier also noted greater enjoyment reported with outdoor workouts and that participants were more likely to repeat the activity than those training indoors .
One final thought to add to the equation is that exercise outside can be cheaper for both clients and trainers alike . Clients have no gym memberships to pay and many outdoor spaces around the country are free to use . This coupled with the strong evidence for psychological benefits from natural surroundings and the multiple effects of exposure to sunlight makes the great outdoors truly great .
For more information about Paul , visit www . balanceweightloss . co . uk or email info @ balanceweightloss . co . uk
Paul has a BA Hons in Sports Studies and an MSC in Exercise and Nutrition Science . He has been a fitness instructor , self-employed personal trainer , health and wellbeing physiologist , tutor and was formerly Curriculum Manager for Lifetime Training . He is a member of the Technical Expert Group for fitness for the UK and has written The Complete Guide to Weight Loss . He also has his business , Balance Weight Loss ( www . balanceweightloss . co . uk ).
REFERENCES
Mejia R . Green exercise may be good for your head . Environmental Science and Technology , April 21 2010
Barton J and Pretty J . What is the Best Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health ? A Multi-Study Analysis . Environmental Science and Technology , March 25 2010
J . Thompson Coon , K . Boddy , K . Stein , R . Whear , J . Barton , M . H . Depledge . Does Participating in Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Environments Have a Greater Effect on Physical and Mental Wellbeing than Physical Activity Indoors ? A Systematic Review . Environmental Science & Technology , 2011 ; 110203115102046 DOI : 10.1021 / es102947t
Richard M . Ryan , Netta Weinstein , Jessey Bernstein , Kirk Warren Brown , Louis Mistretta , Marylène Gagné . Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature . Journal of Environmental Psychology , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , June 2010 , Pages 159 – 168
Maria Bodin , Terry Hartig . Does the outdoor environment matter for psychological restoration gained through running ? Psychology of Sport and Exercise , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , April 2003 , Pages 141 – 153
Lacharité-Lemieux , Marianne MSc ; Brunelle , Jean-Pierre PhD ; Dionne , Isabelle J . PhD . Adherence to exercise and affective responses : comparison between outdoor and indoor training . Menopause , July 2015 - Volume 22 - Issue 7 - p 731 – 740
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