The Power of Parks

Regardless of the weather, just sitting outside, taking in the world around you, and spending time away from screens has been a trending health and wellness hack that has outlasted so many others because it works. Although these benefits can be reaped simply by stepping out your front door, these benefits start to go far beyond the individual when you choose to spend time outdoors in parks.

Benefit the Individual

Have you ever felt a complete mental block at work? Experienced feelings of burnout or a lack of creativity? Simply getting outside might be the solution. Studies from the National Library of Medicine have shown that allowing our minds and bodies to relax in nature can provide the perfect break from the stress and fatigue of our work environments. Breathing in fresh air, absorbing natural light, and taking physical action to remove ourselves from the constraints of the indoors can help relax the mind and body, which allows us to re-energize and boost creative thinking. Having open spaces, especially in parks that keep our urban environment separate from nature, also has the effect of opening the mind to previously invisible solutions for our daily lives.

Benefit Communities

Exercising, like being outside, is undeniably beneficial to the individual, but being active in a group can result in more than a 26% reduction in stress and improved mental health. However, finding these groups can be really challenging, which is one of many reasons that public parks and recreation are so valuable to a community. Being active in the public safety and beauty of a public park not only helps the individual, but is also serving those around you. In addition, public parks provide programs and events that bring people together. Through these accessible programs, children, teens, and adults can all benefit from the outdoors and spending time with their community. Supporting and engaging with our public parks strengthens our social connections and the general quality of life for our communities.

Benefit the World

According to a study from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, access to public parks and the continued support of these locations is closely associated with lower crime rates. So, enjoying your public park is providing a service to the well-being of our broader society. Lower crime rates, educational benefits, and connected communities are all tied to the simple action of enjoying public parks. Through our parks, communities are able to show the world that we value improving mental health, physical wellness, and connection, which are all qualities that should be championed across the globe.

Check out Tripod’s episode “Brackenridge Park: The Power of Public Recreation” to learn more about how public parks benefit individuals, their communities, and the world.

By Lily Brennan