How Parks Are Good For Our Health

On a sunny spring day, colorful blankets dot (properly spaced, of course) the green lawns of Forest Park. A family picnics under the shade of an oak tree, a man lays on his stomach reading a book ­– shoes tossed in the grass – while roommates talk over a tasty beverage.  Parks have provided a needed reprieve to our quarantined days, but there’s another reason visiting a Park leaves you feeling refreshed – they’re good for our health. 

It probably goes without saying that parks are good for our physical health. We move more when we’re outdoors. Whether it be cycling, running or walking, being outside encourages people to exercise, and parks provide the perfect backdrop for these activities with paved paths, open green spaces, and plenty of water features. Even just 30 minutes at a park can improve your circulation and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.

But parks also provide many mental and social health benefits, which we can all use right now.

Being out in nature takes us away from our busy, scheduled lives and provides us with a digital break. We slow down to notice and appreciate things that we miss when we’re rushed. The way the clouds float across the sky. The way the sun shines through the trees. A crane flying across the water. Squirrels chasing each other up a tree.

When we connect with nature, we are less stressed and are generally recharged. 

Being in nature also makes us more creative. When our minds slow down, it provides mental space and energy for more creative pursuits. Not to mention, that nature is inspiring. It’s not a coincidence that so many writers and painters from Thoreau to Monet found inspiration from nature. 

And when kids play in nature, they are generally more creative and imaginative in their play. This helps them develop higher-level thinking skills such as problem solving and collaboration. 

In different times, parks also play an important role in bringing communities together, as they attract people from all different walks of life. Even now, in a time where we need to keep six feet distance from each other, there’s a connection that comes from the shared experience of finding solace in Forest Park. 

Parks are such a vital part of our well-being that doctors have even been known to write nature prescriptions. So next time you’re relaxing under a shade tree with your favorite book, remember it’s just what the doctor ordered.