Spending time in nature a popular way to relieve stress, survey finds

Around half of adults – and 58% of parents – visit local parks or spend time in nature to help relieve stress, results of a recent survey show.

On behalf of the National Recreation and Parks Association, a nonprofit “dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation,” researchers surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults. The vast majority of respondents (91%) said they have preferred activities for managing stress. The most popular: visiting a local park, taking a break from their routine, exercising outdoors, maintaining a healthy diet, expressing themselves creatively and reaching out to their support system.

Among millennial respondents, 57% use local trails and neighborhood exercise areas to relieve stress.

“More time spent in parks and green spaces can help individuals mitigate mental health issues like depression, anxiety and stress,” said NRPA Senior Manager of Research Melissa May. “Access to parks and outdoor programming is a critical way to manage stress, and park and recreation agencies provide many opportunities to individuals looking to unwind and improve their health.”