Restorative experiences have a positive effect on the relationship between nature-based recreation and emotional well-being

Recreational outdoor spaces in urban and suburban communities are important for boosting residents' overall well-being and preserving natural areas in otherwise developed areas. Commonly called nature-based recreation areas, these spaces allow for recreation in a natural setting, such as running through a forest rather than on a track. Previous research suggests that nature-based recreation areas encourage physical activity and outdoor play, relieve stress, and promote community and social interaction. However, it is unclear whether the amount of time spent in outdoor spaces differentially impacts emotional well-being. This study investigated how average time spent in nature-based recreation impacted emotional well-being. It also explored how three factors—restorative experiences (i.e., experiences that relieve stress and cognitive/attention fatigue), social company (i.e., who participates in the experience), and duration of most recent nature-based recreation visit—might influence the relationship between average time spent recreating and emotional well-being.

Previous studies show that spending time in nature can improve mental, physical, and emotional health. Research indicates that time in nature likely improves well-being for three reasons: it promotes physical activity, encourages social interactions, and offers opportunities for restorative experiences (e.g., walking mindfully in natural environments, watching a stream flow by, meditating, or doing yoga).

For this study, the authors used data from the 2009-2010 Finnish National Outdoor Recreation Demand (LVVI) survey. This national survey was distributed to a random sample of Finnish residents between the ages of 15 and 74. The survey asked respondents to report the average length of time they engaged in nature-based recreation. It measured respondents' emotional well-being and quality of life using the RAND 36 scale. The survey used the Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS) to ask respondents about any restorative experiences they had during their most recent visit to a natural area for recreation. The survey measured social interaction by asking respondents how many people they recreated with during their most recent visit to a natural area. Finally, it asked the participants to estimate the amount of time they spent in recreation at their most recent nature visit and to name the activity in which they engaged. The authors used statistics to analyze the data.

Overall, this study confirmed previous findings of a positive and significant relationship between nature-based recreation and emotional well-being. Of the three factors evaluated, however, restorative experience was the only one that significantly influenced the relationship between time spent in nature and emotional well-being. Surprisingly, the authors found that social company in nature-based recreation did not significantly impact emotional well-being. The authors noted that Finnish residents value solitude and peace more than other populations; this may explain the lack of significant relationship between social company and emotional well-being. They also found that the perceived length of time of the most recent nature visit did not significantly impact emotional well-being. The authors cautioned that their findings do not necessarily mean that these two factors do not impact emotional well-being, but that these results could have been influenced by how the questions were phrased.

The study was limited in that all the questions were about respondents' most recent visit to a natural area. The authors did not have enough information to determine whether the most recent visit represented a typical visit in terms of length of time or social interactions. Further, the survey did not ask respondents about the intensity or frequency of their nature-based recreation. Intense activities could impact well-being differently than more sedate activities. People who frequently recreate outdoors may experience different impacts than those who engage with the outdoors periodically. These results are not generalizable to other countries where culture may dictate how social interactions influence emotional outcomes.

The authors believe their results could be useful to healthcare providers, specifically those working with populations with health issues or in high-stress environments. The researchers recommend that health counselors prescribe patients to visit their favorite natural places and report their restorative experiences, particularly when general exercise does not improve their emotional well-being.