Top 5 Outdoor Activities to Help You Improve Your Mental Health

By Nina Simons

Being outdoors doesn’t only affect your physical, but your mental health, too. It has the power to completely set your mind at ease and make you forget about all your daily troubles. It’s simple, when we’re in nature we feel more connected to it and ourselves, which can only have positive outcomes. Of course, it’s also a matter of what kind of outdoor activity you choose and where you do it. Different places carry different benefits, and you can explore them freely as you please.

1. Let’s dance

If you’re looking for a fun way to engage with your environment, you should try dancing outside. There are various dance groups which hold their lessons outside because of how well it affects the students. Dancing makes you sweat, keeps you on your toes, and gives your mind a puzzle to solve. When taken outside, the effects intensify and you are exposed to a whole different way of thinking and moving.

This is also a good way to feel less lonely and anxious about meeting new people. Dance requires you to get out there and be sociable. Who knows, you might even meet your new best friends there. The weight of the world is lighter when there are more people to carry it. Dancing will help you be open to that possibility and improve your mental health by helping you build trust with the people around you.

2. Pedal your way to health

Cycling is the ultimate outdoor activity. It’s easily time manageable, saves you money, and drastically increases your physical and mental health. You can always ride from point A to point B to get some stress relief and release tension, as well as get some adrenaline going.

There’s nothing better than cycling around with the people you love, all of you laughing and pedaling as fast as you can. Bonding through this activity will make you feel more connected and will remind you that you always have someone in your corner to help. It’s an instant boost for your energy and mental health. Check out this extensive guide: On the Health Benefits of Cycling.

3. Setting yourself free with swimming

Sometimes we can feel trapped in our own heads, without seeing the exit in our current situation. Add the stress of daily life to the mixture and you’ve got a recipe for an anxious, tense, and sad person. To combat these thoughts of no escape and release the stress, you should take up swimming.

Stepping into an entirely new environment can do wonders for your mental health. It makes you see the world with different eyes, relieving your anxiety and making all problems seem feeble. What’s more, swimming will help with the tension in your muscles, making you overall more relaxed and more energized. Find a beautiful lake, a safe river, or an outdoor pool and complete this experience in nature, and you’ll finally be able to just be yourself.

4. The path to hiking

One activity anyone from a novice to an expert can try is hiking. You can go hiking nearby or travel to mesmerizing hiking travel destinations. The amazing paths can be found in the heart of Tasmania. After all, nature is untouched and wild, while still being civil enough for an amazing hiking experience. This activity is good for your mental health because it lets you step out of the concrete jungle and enter a real one.

Booking one of the amazing hiking tours in Tasmania means you’ll get a healthy dose of adrenaline which will remind you how beautiful life actually is. Our daily routines can often become straining, which is the cause of most mental issues, so going on a little adventure should shake things up a little.

5. Bring your body and mind together

If you really want to improve your mental health, combine it with improving your physical health, too. After all, we are a part body part mind, and the best results are achieved when the two are combined. The perfect activity to achieve this effect is outdoor yoga. It allows you to stretch your body and gain strength while also focusing on your thoughts and feeling.

Everything comes into perspective now that you move the venue of the activity outside. No matter what location you choose, you’ll get to breathe some fresh air and relax to the sounds of nature. It’ll make you contemplate your life and the solutions to your problems will come easily. No challenge will be to tough for you. From your backyard to an exotic location - anything will do.

Conclusion

Being in nature doesn’t mean just stepping outside and letting the sunshine on your face. Sure, that helps, but it’s only the first step. The type of activity you choose can influence your whole mood and experience outside. That’s why it’s important to remember to stay open-minded and get out of your comfort zone as much as possible. After all, that’s the best way to improve your mental health and stay happy and positive.