Americans Need to Get Outside More!

Toby and I on Oahu, Hawaii, December 2018. We were spending this day hiking up to Makapu'u Lighthouse, Manoa Falls, and then spending the evening on Sunset Beach watching surfers and the sunset! Someday I'll blog about that magical week, our first real Adventure for Two. Toby recently did.  

This is a sad study, but not at all surprising. The conclusion was that "nearly half of the U.S. population did not go outdoors to get some exercise in 2018, according to a new report from the Outdoor Foundation." 

I tell you, more and more I have a strong need - not just desire - but almost a necessary requirement for me to live life fully - to get out. I cannot do it as often as I would like or should. I now have a name for it: Nature Deficit Disorder. Read on:

Studies frequently point to the benefits of getting out into the fresh air and exercising. A team of researchers in Australia late last year put a dollar figure on the mental health benefits, saying that protected areas such as national parks around the world provide $6 trillion in benefits. 

"Nature exposure improves human mental health and wellbeing. Poor mental health imposes major costs on human economies. Therefore, parks have an additional economic value through the mental health of visitors," they wrote in the abstract to their paper, Economic Value of Protected Areas Via Visitor Mental Health. 

Richard Louv, a journalist and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network, long has old us through his books about the value of being out in nature. In one of his titles he came up with the phrase, Nature Deficit Disorder. 

In the United States, more and more doctors are appreciating the value of the outdoors to personal health through a growing movement called Park Rx (or Park Prescriptions) and are "prescribing" time outdoors for their patients.

It is not always a choice for people. Cities are big and transportation often insufficient or too expensive for people to get out very easily or very often. It is a sign of modernity; one of the downsides. But I would hope that most people at least see the value in getting out and all the benefits that come from it. Like most things, often it will come down to what you can prioritize and make happen in your life. Just walking outdoors even in the city can do wonders. 

Beyond the local opportunities - and Toby and I are blessed to have so many so near us - we have so many beautiful national and states parks in the USA. We've already begun talking about what our summer vacation plans may be and they will definitely include some parks. This study is interesting, in one sense, because while it indicates most Americans don't get out enough; another study has shown that visits to the National Parks is on the increase. Toby talked about the effect of so many visiting the National Parks in his post about Zion National Park in particular. 

It's interesting I ran across this article today because I am jonesing to get out and travel lately - and spend more time in nature. I think...no, I know...this intense pressure cooker work scenario I've found myself in for so long is beginning to take its toll. It'll be time soon to reward ourselves; I hope we are able to. If not some bigger nature trip soonish, at least more frequent, consistent time out locally would be welcome change until we can take our summer vacation. 

It's still early enough in 2020 to make some great changes. Resolving to get out in nature more would be a great one for all of us. Resolving and then actually doing it would be a really great one for me! 

Let's listen to John Muir:

Thanks for reading!