Mental health problems among children and adolescents are common and, in many places, increasing. Mental health includes a young person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects many aspects of their lives, including their development, how they learn social skills, their relationships with families and friends, identity exploration, and their self-esteem.
This means that promoting good mental health among young people is really important. This involves improving access to effective diagnosis and treatment, but also creating social environments that encourage and protect mental well-being.
Spending outdoors and in nature is one important opportunity that can help young people find and maintain good mental health. It can also play a key role in treatment and recovery from mental health disorders.
Studies have found that spending time in nature may be linked to emotional well-being, overall mental health, decreased stress, improvements in ADHD symptoms, increased resilience, and other aspects of mental health.
This blog explores the connection between nature and adolescent mental health. It also looks at how physical activity and outdoor adventures can improve young people’s well-being and quality of life.
How Does Nature Affect Children and Adolescent Mental Health?
It’s already established that nature has a big impact on health among adults, including physical, mental, and social health. But there is less research exploring the effect of nature on the mental health of young people.
However, a recent review of papers exploring the link between nature and children and adolescent mental health found that nature was positively connected with various aspects of mental health and well-being.
They found significant positive relationships between time spent in nature and overall mental health, reduced stress, and increased resilience. There were also some positive assocations with emotional well-being, self-esteem, and depression. The authors note that more research is needed to better understand the different ways that nature can affect young people’s mental health.
Physical Activity, Spending Time Outside, and Mental Health
There are many possible explanations for the connection between outdoor time and young people’s mental health. These include the sensory and spiritual experiences of spending time in nature that positively affect a child or adolescent’s well-being.
Research also suggests that physical activity in outside spaces may partly explain the link between outdoor time and mental health. Outside time often involves exercise, from walking to playing sports to adventure activities. Physical activity, in turn, is linked to numerous mental health benefits, such as improvements in self-esteem and symptoms of depression and anxiety. It can help young people to relax while distracting them from negative mental health triggers.
There are lots of ways to enable and encourage young people to do more physical activity outside. This might include incorporating more outdoor exercise into the school day. Some healthcare providers also write prescriptions for outdoor physical activity in parks (known as ‘park prescriptions’.
Research also shows that outdoor after-school activities can have a strong positive effect on mental health. One study found that outdoor, nature-based activities in rural communities led to improvements in sleep and less perceived stress. It also helped young people to make friends and feel more connected to others while recognising their capabilities and growing in self-confidence.
Nature: A Sensory and Spiritual Experience
Spending time in nature can be a rich sensory and spiritual experience for young people. The sounds, smells, colours, and sensations of touch that children and adolescents encounter in nature may help them relax and detach from negative emotions.
Nature can also offer spiritual meaning and fulfilment. By spending time outside, young people may feel connected to nature and a part of the natural world. This may help young people develop a stable identity with a sense of purpose and fulfilment.
One study explored the connection between sensory experiences in urban green spaces and teenager’s sense of restoration, stress levels, and mental well-being. They found that being in nature was associated with ‘restorativeness’: that is, a feeling of fascination and being physically or psychologically away from everyday life.
Young people in some urban spaces also felt a sense of refuge (safety and security). This was also connected to restorativeness, as well as lower levels of perceived stress.
Outdoor Adventure, Resilience, and Mental Health
Mental health can be understood as a lack of mental disorders. But there is also a positive component: mental health is a state of subjective well-being, autonomy, and resilience to stress and challenges. Qualities like a sense of coherence, optimism, and mindfulness can help young people maintain good psychological well-being in the face of adversity and difficulties.
Outdoor adventures, such as hiking, wild camping, rock climbing, and other adventure sports, may have a direct impact on young people’s well-being and perceived stress. It may also help children and adolescents develop resilience, mindfulness, and self-efficacy.
A recent research paper explored the impact of two outdoor adventure programs on young people’s mental health. The first involved a 9-day hike across the Alps, and the second an 8-day adventure in the Norwegian wilderness, miles away from any villages or settlements.
Young people who took part in these adventures experienced numerous different mental health benefits, including improvements in life satisfaction, happiness, mindfulness, self-efficacy, and lower perceived stress. These findings suggest that outdoor education and wilderness programs can help young people find and maintain mental well-being.
The Wave Clinic: Transformative Recovery Programs for Young People
The Wave Clinic is a specialist mental health treatment space, dedicated to adolescents and young adults. Our whole-person approach combines clinical care with education, community responsibility, and enriching experiences, supporting young people to grow in self-confidence, develop life skills, and build a sense of self and direction.
Situated in the serene natural beauty of Malaysia, our centre offers unequalled opportunities for outdoor experiences and adventures. Young people take part in hiking trips, camping, and white-water rafting. We work with local communities to teach traditional methods of jungle survival including building shelters and foraging for food. Through these experiences, young people grow in resilience, connect with nature, and learn from other cultures through teamwork and exploration.
At The Wave, we make a difference in the lives of young people. Contact us today to find out more.
