Top Ten Ways Outdoor Adventure Improves Well-being

As practitioners in adventure education and experiential learning, we can wholeheartedly say there are a vast number of ways the outdoors can help to foster better mental health and well-being.

Ofsted’s public consultation, ‘Big Listen’, published this month, promote this belief, highlighting the vital need for school “reports to prioritise children and learners’ happiness and mental well-being… not just academic outcomes.” *  

Science-backed evidence suggests that people who live closer to green and blue zones have less mental distress due to having more opportunity for physical activity and adventure. The prescribing of activities in nature to tackle mental ill health has benefited thousands of people across England, a government-backed project has shown. *  Even so, many young people understandably miss-out as they succumb to the pressures of social media and keeping up with screen activity. This further reduces their threshold to discover and experience outdoor adventure and its associated mental health benefits.

According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology,

Spending time in nature as a child has been linked to better subjective well-being and a lower risk of poor mental health during both childhood and adulthood.” *  

The Journal Frontiers in Psychology also outlines the “transformative potential of adventure in urban settings often untapped in daily life, enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of diverse communities of people” *

Dr John Allan, Skern Lodge’s Head of Learning and Impact, has given us a steer on the top ten ways outdoor adventure and nature-based physical activity significantly improves well-being.

Top ten ways outdoor adventure improves well-being

1. Green spaces reduce stress

Studies show being in a natural environment has a positive impact on our bodies, by lowering heart rates and tension and in return lessening stress. To illustrate the importance of nature to public health, in 2017, the UK government published their 25-year environment plan which emphasized the use of green space in helping people improve their health and well-being. *

2. Daily exposure to natural light improves sleep

Imagine if you could get outdoors and have a mini adventure every day, whether that’s finding a new path to walk, discovering a wildlife hotspot, or even a new tree to read your book under. As well as feeling better in the day, getting sunlight and natural light improves your ability to sleep as it helps to regulate wake cycles. Going on an adventure creates the ideal environment to use up lots of energy and nurture feelings of well-being and contentment at the end of the day. Sleeping well also has transformational benefits to our health.

3. Changes our perspective

Connecting and immersing ourselves in nature helps us relax and gain perspective. Something that seemed so difficult could become more manageable after a walk in the fresh air. Embarking on a new activity or adventure, and knowing you really put yourself out there, is very rewarding, whether or not it is something you would like to try again. It’s the act of challenging ourselves, gaining perspective and overcoming obstacles that gives us resilience and improves well-being.

4. Practice creativity

Going on an outdoor adventure creates unlimited opportunities for photography, sketching or journaling. Being creative is an outlet to tap into imaginations and calm busy minds. Writing down your experiences or even creating poetry can further bring them to life. Memories captured through creativity embed lasting memories and opportunities to re-live moments and feelings of happiness and well-being.

5. Exercise for longer outdoors

Physical activity in nature and the feeling of being part of something bigger than us really enhances our mood, health and well-being. We all know from times of the pandemic lockdown, the huge difference getting outdoors made to our sense of well-being. It’s also proven that when people exercise outdoors, they do so for longer periods of time, which has a positive impact on both our physical and mental health. And when it comes to time, getting outdoors and having an adventure is completely flexible and can be accessed at any moment, for any length of time.

6. Water enhances the positive health effects

Studies show that well-being is further enhanced when green space includes water. An 18-country study, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, found that childhood exposure to blue spaces was associated with better adult well-being. This pattern of associations was consistent across all countries. “Building familiarity with and confidence in and around blue spaces in childhood may stimulate a joy of, and greater propensity to spend recreational time in, nature in adulthood, with positive consequences for adult subjective well-being.” *

7. Participate with others

Nature-based physical activity and outdoor adventure provide perfect opportunities to participate with others and socialise. Social interaction can improve moods and make us feel more happy and secure. Furthermore, the endorphins released after positive social contact, reduce stress and improve well-being, almost equal to a workout. The physical activity aspect enables emotional regulation and brain growth. Also, a recent report by the British Medical Council states that access to local green spaces increases the probability that individuals will achieve the recommended physical activity guidelines by over four times. *

8. Cultivate joy

Outdoor adventures have wonderful restorative benefits. 87% of Finnish people, the happiest country in the world, believe that nature is important to them because it gives them peace of mind, energy and relaxation. * Being directly immersed in an outdoor adventure not only improves well-being but it also creates joy. You can access the restorative benefits by even spending five mins with the sun on your face, feet on the grass, and an opportunity to gaze and breath in outdoor air. Creating a lifestyle that involves adventure and keeping fit improves your ability to cope with life’s stressors, whenever they arise.

9. Facilitate self-discovery and build self-esteem

For young people in particular, adventure is a way to discover more about themselves. It facilitates self-determination and the chance to stretch themselves by applying continued effort and working collaboratively with others when participating in new, more challenging adventure activities. Spending time taking part in outdoor adventure within nature increases our vitality, well-being and gives us a sense of personal growth. There is so much to be learned through adventure experiences, which contribute to an individual’s capacity to adapt to challenges and lead a happy life.

10. Appreciation and mindfulness

Appreciation and respect for the environment go hand in hand with exploring and discovering nature through outdoor adventure. Practicing gratitude and being more mindful are techniques proven to improve mental health. By spending time noticing the environment and all its intricacies we can become more mindful, whether observing a bird nesting or how the leaves are changing with the seasons, our wellbeing is improved as we focus less on life’s stressors. Spending time in natural environments encourages us to appreciate the world more and feel better.

Prioritise adventure and improving wellbeing this Youth Mental Health Day and beyond.

Inspired to find out more about Skern Lodge experiences for schools and groups of all ages? Get in touch with us, here.

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* Health and Wellbeing in an Outdoor and Adventure Sport Context, Dr John Allan et al, MDPI, 2019.
* Research and analysis Findings of Ofsted's Big Listen public consultation, 3rd September 2024, www.gov.uk
‍* Bezold et al., 2018; Chawla, 2015; Engemann et al., 2019, 2020a, 2020b; Li et al., 2021; Pensini et al., 2016; Preuß et al., 2019; Roberts et al., 2020; Snell et al., 2016; Tillmann et al., 2018.
* The World Happiness Report, www.cnbc.com, January 2023.
* British Medical Council Public Health, 16:420, doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3050-9.
* The Journal of Environmental Psychology, Elsevier, Volume 84, December 2022,
* Brymer E, Sharma-Brymer V, Willis R and Leach M (2024) Adventure and mental health: an ecological perspective. Front. Psychol. 15:1352352. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352352
*National Evaluation of the Preventing and Tackling Mental Ill Health through Green Social Prescribing Project 1 Final Report Summary1 | March 2021 to June 2023 January 2024

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