Scientists have discovered how nature and physical activity together improve mental health

Regular contact with nature - especially during physical activity - can markedly improve the mental health of young people. Researchers at the University of Montreal came to this conclusion after studying not the objective amount of greenery around a person, but the extent to which he or she feels the presence of nature in everyday life.

The study, published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, comes against a backdrop of declining mental health among young people in Canada. From 2011 to 2018, the prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders increased significantly among people aged 19 to 24. The situation worsened during the pandemic, with the proportion of Canadians 15 to 29 years old who were completely satisfied with their lives falling from 72 per cent in 2018 to 26 per cent in the summer of 2020.

Most previous studies have assessed the impact of nature on health through geographic indicators - density of vegetation, distance to parks and public gardens. In the new work, however, the researchers took a different route and focused on subjective perceptions of nature.

Participants were asked how often they noticed natural elements in their daily environment and during physical activity. "It was important for us to understand whether people are aware of the presence of trees and greenery around them - especially when they are moving," explained Professor Isabelle Dore, one of the study's leaders.

The survey involved 357 young people with an average age of 21.9 years from the long-term MATCH project, which has been running in the province of New Brunswick since 2011. Participants rated the frequency of contact with nature on a five-point scale - separately for daily life and for physical activity.

The results showed: contact with nature in only one context does not have a sustained effect. Significant improvements in mental health were only observed in those who regularly experienced the presence of nature in both everyday life and physical activity.

About 35% of participants reported low levels of contact with nature in both contexts. A further 25% reported high levels in both contexts. The latter group had an average of 7.4 points higher mental health scores.

After accounting for baseline mental health, only participants with high "dual" nature exposure retained a statistically significant advantage - a difference of 3.6 points. Those who had frequent contact with nature in only one of the contexts no longer differed from the control group.

"It seems that for real benefit, nature perception must be present in several areas of life at once," Dore noted.

The link between natural environments and physical activity appeared to be two-way. Natural spaces motivate people to move more, and physical activity itself increases the likelihood that people will notice and seek contact with nature.

Exercising in environments that are perceived as natural has been found to be particularly beneficial to the psyche. Under such conditions, a person's attention shifts from internal sensations - fatigue and tension - to external stimuli such as birdsong or the sound of foliage. This may partly explain the positive effects found.

The authors of the study also draw attention to social inequalities. In Canada, immigrants, racial minorities and low-income families have worse access to green space, which limits opportunities for outdoor activity and exacerbates health disparities.

As a solution, the researchers suggest increasing access to remote natural areas through school programmes, ride-sharing and equipment rentals, and more actively developing local green spaces.

"You don't have to go far from the city to experience nature. Even a city park can encourage people to get moving and increase their well-being," Dore emphasised.

The findings could inform new public health strategies to support young people's mental health. In the coming years, the research team will continue to work on the SeeNAT project, which will examine the impact of 36 types of physical activity - from backyard football to wilderness hiking - on young people's psychological well-being.