Can outdoor activities help improve my mental health?

Many of us face mental health challenges as part of modern life.

The pressures of work, relationships, finances and the constant digital buzz can leave us feeling mentally drained, anxious or low.

Research increasingly points to how outdoor activities support mental wellbeing¹. Time spent in nature combined with physical exertion offers multiple psychological benefits that medication and traditional therapy may not provide.

At Life Changing Activities, we’ve seen firsthand how activities like gorge walking, rock climbing, caving and survival skills can help people feel more balanced, positive and resilient. Our sessions provide more than just excitement and adventure. They offer genuine mental health benefits.

This article explores how outdoor activities can help improve your mental health through a combination of fresh air, social connection and physical activity.

The natural therapy effect

Natural environments have measurable positive effects on your mental state.

A study by the European Centre for Environment and Human Health (ECEHH)² found that people who spend at least 120 minutes a week in nature report significantly better health and psychological outcomes than those who don’t get outdoors.

This effect occurs in part because natural environments help reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain region associated with negative thought patterns. When we’re surrounded by trees, flowing water and natural sounds, our minds naturally shift away from worrying.

The sensory experience of being outdoors – feeling the breeze, hearing birds sing, watching sunlight filter through trees – activates our parasympathetic nervous system, which controls our ‘rest-and-digest’ response. This counteracts the ‘fight-or-flight’ stress state many of us experience daily.

Gorge walking immerses you in a rich sensory environment. The sound of flowing water, the feeling of cool spray on your skin and the sight of sunlight sparkling on the water create a multisensory experience that draws your attention outward and away from your internal worries.

Similarly, caving offers a unique sensory environment with distinctive sounds, textures and visual experiences that create mental space away from your everyday concerns.

Building confidence

Overcoming physical challenges in outdoor environments builds psychological resilience that extends beyond the activity itself.

When you successfully navigate a difficult section of a gorge or reach the peak of a climb, your brain registers this as a meaningful achievement. These experiences build ‘self-efficacy’, your belief in your ability to succeed at difficult tasks.

Research has shown that self-efficacy influences how we approach challenges³, how much effort we invest in difficult situations, and how resilient we are when facing setbacks.

The progressive challenges available through activities like rock climbing are great for building confidence. Routes can range from simple climbs suitable for complete beginners to complex problems that test experienced climbers, allowing everyone to find a challenge that stretches their abilities without overwhelming them.

The confidence you gain through your outdoor achievements can transfer to your everyday life. After successfully tackling a physical challenge, your daily problems will often seem more manageable. This psychological benefit can last long after the outdoor activity ends.

Improving mindfulness

Outdoor activities naturally promote mindfulness.

When you’re negotiating your way through a cave system or concentrating on your next handhold while climbing, your attention naturally narrows to the task at hand. Such focused attention creates what psychologists call ‘flow state’⁴, complete absorption in an activity that balances challenge with skill. During flow, people tend to feel less self-conscious and lose their perception of time. Many people describe these moments as ‘deeply refreshing’ for their mental state.

Activities like rock climbing demand complete awareness of the present moment. When you’re scaling a rock face, you must focus entirely on your body position, hand and foot placement, and the texture of the rock. This intense concentration crowds out any mental chatter you might have about past events or anxiety about the future.

While formal mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga are valuable, many people it difficult to incorporate them into their daily routines. Outdoor activities offer an alternative path to mindfulness that feels engaging rather than like a discipline to maintain.

Social connection and belonging

Strong social connections influence mental health and wellbeing. Group outdoor activities create such bonds through mutual support, shared challenges and collective achievement.

Participants work together to overcome challenges, share encouragement during difficult moments and celebrate successes together. These shared experiences create connections that often feel more authentic than those formed in everyday social settings.

The supportive atmosphere of guided outdoor activities like gorge walking helps participants feel accepted and valued. When a group works together to navigate a gorge or build a survival shelter, each person contributes to the collective effort. This creates a sense of belonging and purpose that buffers against feelings of isolation.

At Life Changing Activities, we design our small group activities to build a sense of community. Our challenges create excitement and accomplishment, resulting in powerful memories that bond participants together, even if they start as strangers.

Physical activity and mental health

The link between physical exercise and improved mental health is well-established. Regular activity reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety while improving mood, sleep quality and physical health.

Outdoor exercise can amplify these benefits. A review published in Environment International⁵ found that outdoor exercise was associated with greater feelings of revitalisation, increased energy and more positive engagement, alongside decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression.

Physical activity in natural settings triggers the release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters that improve mood and reduce the perception of pain. These exercise-induced biochemical changes, combined with the psychological benefits that come with spending time outdoors, create a powerful intervention for mental wellbeing.

Outdoor activities also provide accessible exercise options for different fitness levels. Rock Climbing  for example, can be adapted to suit participants with varying physical abilities while still providing meaningful challenge and engagement with nature.

How can Life Changing Activities help?

If you’re new to outdoor activities, starting small will help you build confidence. Even a short walk in nature can provide mental health benefits. Then, as your comfort grows, you could consider more immersive experiences like guided gorge walking or rock climbing.

At Life Changing Activities, we offer beginner-friendly sessions designed for those new to adventure activities. Our experienced guides create a safe and supportive environment where you can challenge yourself at your own pace without pressure.

Our group sessions provide built-in social support that makes trying new activities less intimidating. Many participants find that these shared experiences make their outdoor activities more enjoyable.

So, if you’re ready to experience the mental health benefits of outdoor adventure, reach out today to discuss which activities might suit your interests.

Sources

¹ mind.org – How nature benefits mental health

² ECEHH – Two-hour ‘nature dose’ boosts health and wellbeing

³ simplypsychology.org – Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory of Motivation in Psychology

⁴ University of Chicago – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: pioneering psychologist and ‘father of flow’

⁵ Environment International – Valuing the health benefits of nature-based recreational physical activity in England

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