Study Finds Time in the Backcountry can Boost Mental Health
A new AllTrails study revealed that extended periods of time spent in isolated nature can be more effective at improving mental health than some forms of therapy.
In partnership with Unyoked, a backcountry cabin company, and Corus, an independent research agency, AllTrails gathered 407 individuals to each spend two nights in the backcountry, sleeping in Unyoked cabins and detaching from all technology. Collectively, the participants spent more than 17,000 hours in nature throughout Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.
“With this global study, we set out to prove the powerful impact nature can have on our health,” the CEO of AllTrails and co-founders of Unyoked wrote in the study. “Our aim? To raise awareness for these benefits and shine a light on the role nature can play in improving our well-being.”
The study found that spending time in the backcountry can improve mental well-being by 12.7 per cent, reduce burnout by 16.1 per cent and increase nature connectivity by 10.4 per cent. These results also indicate that nature is a more effective conduit for mental health improvement than traditional approaches like mindfulness or cognitive behavioural therapy, according to the study.
The results also showed that participants who had a lower sense of initial well-being experienced the most benefits, suggesting that nature-based interventions may be a vital form of therapy for those with severe mental health issues.
Notably, more than 95 per cent of participants reported some level of improved well-being.
Unyoked states that despite the abundance of existing studies detailing the benefits nature has on mental health, it isn’t enough to foster a significant behavioural change. The more knowledge the public has about these restorative benefits, the more likely they’ll live balanced lives through immersive outdoor experiences.
AllTrails and Unyoked hope these results translate into real-world improvements with anxiety, depression and irritability. They note that these benefits have potential cascading effects on participants’ personal lives and relationships, as reduced emotional exhaustion fosters deeper connections and improved communication.
This initial study opens up opportunities for further research on the impact of nature-based interventions to create a better understanding of who this most benefits. More research involving diverse populations, including vulnerable populations experiencing chronic stress, mental health disorders or social isolation, could result in the development of targeted interventions to receive the full benefits nature has to offer.
