How do you exercise during a pandemic?
If, like us here in Ireland, you have a 2km restriction on your exercise range, your options are limited, swimming in the sea and hikes up mountains are probably out of range for most of us! If you are curious to know what your exact 2km radius is, check out this app which shows your 2km circle from home: https://2kmfromhome.com/
Now you know your movement limits, where should you go to exercise? Well, some scientists say GO NATURE!
Green exercise became a thing in the science world earlier this century and refers to exercising in the presence of nature. We already know that being exposed to nature is nothing short of magic, with oceans of research showing the benefits of nature for us humans; reduced heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol (markers of biological stress), decreased risk of many health conditions (cardiovascular, asthma, stroke, diabetes type II), improved mood and mental health…we could go on and on [1]! Nature provides the ideal environment for us to replenish our resources (Vitamin D, less air and noise pollution) and the opportunity to exercise with plenty of inviting open spaces. So is green the new gold standard in exercising to reap the most benefits for body and mind? It’s certainly in the running…
STRESS REDUCTION
Evidence is accumulating that exercising in a green environment (surrounded by trees or streams or even the grass in your backgarden) boosts your brain and wellbeing [2]. And let’s face it we’ll take any boost going during these strange times. There are many causes of stress during a pandemic, getting outside into nature could be just what your brain and body needs. Going for a walk or a run in a natural environment can reduce negative emotions (anger, sadness) and improve your attention (more on that in a minute!) [2]. Research reviews have not found sound evidence that green exercise is better for reducing stress than other forms of exercise, but nature (just like exercise) certainly has stress-busting effects. Some put this down to evolution, saying nature facilitates stress recovery with patterns and characteristics (e.g. water features, natural symmetry) that trigger positive emotions in us as they represent safety and survival [3].
ATTENTION RESTORATION
Green exercise can offer a space for you to restore your attention, undoing mental fatigue caused by long hours working hard at home. Based on Kaplan and Kaplan’s [4] ART theory (Attention Restoration Theory), green spaces provide attention restoration as we have a ‘soft fascination’ with nature. Watching the natural world doesn’t require much effort compared to our usual everyday tasks. They argue that being in nature evokes positive emotions in us, think how instagrammable nature is! A review of studies on green exercise found the most reliable benefits from green exercise were improved attention and mood after a dose of green exercise [2].
JURY IS STILL OUT
Despite a decent chunk of research evidence for the benefits of green exercise, a recent review on green vs. non-green exercise found the evidence base weak and advised we can only conclude that green exercise results in lower perceived exertion and a greater enjoyment of exercise compared to indoor exercise [5]. So you may enjoy outdoor ‘green’ exercise more and be able to exercise for longer in a natural setting. The green exercise debate continues, with larger and better controlled experiments needed.
Our lab is doing our bit to chip in on green exercise research. We’re currently using a portable EEG (electro-encephalogram) to measure brain activity while walking in green vs urban spaces. We’re investigating the possibility of different effects of different environments on our cognition. Our portable EEG is sitting on the shelf at the moment (what with the global pandemic), but we hope to get back to researching green exercise soon 😊
So getting a dose of nature is certainly beneficial but whether green exercise is superior to indoor or non-green outdoor exercise, well the jury is still out! So for your daily 2km exercise, you can choose indoor or outdoor but be sure to get a good dose of greenery in your surroundings if you do venture out. 😊
References:
1 Twohig-Bennett, C., & Jones, A. (2018). The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes. Environmental research, 166, 628-637.
2 Bowler, D. E., Buyung-Ali, L. M., Knight, T. M., & Pullin, A. S. (2010). A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC public health, 10(1), 456.
3 Ulrich, R. S., Altman, I., & Wohlwill, J. F. (1983). Behavior and the natural environment. Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment, 4, 85-125.
4 Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). Toward a synthesis: The experience of nature: A psychological perspective.
5 Lahart, I., Darcy, P., Gidlow, C., & Calogiuri, G. (2019). The effects of green exercise on physical and mental wellbeing: a systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(8), 1352.