Wild Running Increases Emotional and Mental Well-Being
Most wild-runners will tell you that they feel much better from being outside in nature, not just on a physical level, but on a mental and emotional level as well. Some wild-runners describe the experience as the same feeling you receive after performing yoga or Tai Chi. Researchers at the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry conducted a study including 833 adults and found that “most trials showed an improvement in mental-health and well-being; compared with exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.”