Mental Health Benefits
Spending time outdoors significantly can reduce ______ levels. Managing these levels help to reduce our risk of heart disease, stroke, anxiety, and a variety of other psychological and physical health problems.
Stress
Researchers in Holland found that just a 30-minute gardening session was enough to significantly reduce participants’ cortisol levels compared to those of other participants sent to read a book for half an hour.
Incredibly, we don’t even need to enjoy our time outdoors to reap the benefits. A University of Michigan study has shown that nature will carry on working its de-stressing wonders on us even if we’re knee deep in mud, arguing with the misses or mister, battling a legion of pterodactyl-like mosquitoes, or otherwise having a sucky time of things. No matter the nature of the cloud, Mother Nature will provide the silver lining…
This activity can be done anywhere, anytime and is one of the most commonly enjoyed forms of low impact exercises.
Walking
Name the number one reason why Americans don't take part in recreational sports.
They say they don't have time...
CTRS’s Practice in Many facilities including: Name at least 3
Mental health agencies, pediatric facilities, nursing homes, physical rehabilitation hospitals, adult day programs, substance recovery programs, community recreation centers and so many more.
The best and most abundant source of the hormone vitamin D is _________, which is maybe the outdoors’ second most pervasive commodity after only oxygen.
Sunlight
Getting outside in pure sunlight can increase your Vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to many health issues, including heart disease, dementia, stroke, diabetes, auto-immune disorders, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer.
Source: https://myopencountry.com
Perhaps the most significant and conclusive studies into nature’s remedial influence on our mental health have been in the battle with _______ and _________.
Depression & Anxiety
A recent study published in Environmental Science and Technology, moreover, revealed that immersing ourselves in natural scenery doesn’t only cut the risk of becoming depressed in the first place but also mitigates the symptoms of depression for those already dealing with depression.
For which outdoor activity would you need a sinker, gaff, and rod?
Fishing
What is the shape of a "tipi" tent?
Conical
Recreational Therapists use various activity based interventions including outdoor recreation to work with clients on helping them to reach their _______
Goals!
The American Heart Association states that we need only ____ minutes of vigorous physical activity and ____minutes of moderate activity per week in order to ensure a healthier heart and less chance of having a stroke.
75 & 150
Just one, three-hour hike per week, then, is enough to do the trick!
Source: https://myopencountry.com
Exposure to natural ______ has recently been shown to be conducive to higher self-esteem and better moods, particularly when combined with ‘green exercise’.
Light
Researchers at the University of Essex in England reported that as little as five minutes of green exercise could be enough to provide a psychological lift.
Further studies from Australian researchers and the University of Kansas have drawn a link between the effects of natural light and combating Season Affective Disorder (SAD), with the latter study suggesting that a mere 30 minutes of sunlight per day can help us have a happier outlook on life.
This leisure activity is very popular amongst all ages and can be done inside and outside. It is most popular on hot summer days!
Swimming
What does SCUBA stand for in Scuba Diving?
Self contained underwater breathing apparatus.
Recreational therapy is a ________ process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being.
Systematic
Moderate-intensity exercises, such as hiking or cycling, can be effective in lowering ________ and reducing the risk of ____________
Blood Pressure and Diabetes
Over the course of a six-year study, Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California analyzed more than 30,000 runners in the National Runners’ Health Study and over 15,000 walkers in the National Walkers’ Health Study. Their findings demonstrated that walking and hiking resulted in similar reductions in risk as vigorous-intensity exercise (running, cycling) for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and coronary heart disease.
Another study from the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute supported these findings by showing that just a short hike can reduce blood pressure by a healthy 4-10 points
Source: https://myopencountry.com
What is the physiological feel-good ‘phenomenon’ that occurs as a result of our bodies releasing endorphins during exercise, whether it be high-intensity or of a more moderate variety such as walking or cycling.
The "Runners High"
Endorphins are essentially, chemicals that are scientifically proven to better our mood and mental states, and which can also contribute to alleviating the causes and symptoms of both stress and anxiety.
What is another term for used for "backpacking"
Tramping
By what name is toxophily otherwise known?
Archery
The purpose of the RT process is to improve or maintain ________, _________, ________, _________ and _________ functioning in order to facilitate full participation in life.
physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual functioning
These days, one of the most serious risks to our eye health comes in the form of something called ________________ which occurs when we spend long periods of time in front of our laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
The risk of encountering any of these can be vastly reduced by fleeing the screens and allowing our eyes to focus on objects further away — ideally in wide, open spaces (kinda like those you’d find in the great outdoors!).
To reduce our chances of succumbing to the second risk posed to our eyes by spending too much time indoors — nearsightedness — those spaces needn’t necessarily be wide or wild, but only natural and free from artificial light. Nearsightedness has seen a 17 percent increase in the last 50 years in the US. A 2007 study showed that children with congenital nearsightedness are four times less likely to inherit their parents’ trait if they spend at least two hours per day outdoors.
Source: https://myopencountry.com
Overdoing it at work, overdoing it on the PlayStation, and overdoing those marathon viewing sessions of Game of Thrones are just a few of the ways in which we bring our brains to the point of burnout which causes _______________.
Mental Fatigue
Such habits, in combination with the detrimental effect of other stimuli (phones, advertising, traffic, bosses), mean our brains rarely have time to switch off and normalize, which is exactly what they tend to do when we head outdoors. Apparently, even just looking at pictures of the outdoors could do the trick, but it's highly recommend getting out to enjoy the real thing.
Which outdoor activity is also known as "spelunking" in the US
Caving
The average American spends a total of what percent of their existence inside?
The average American spends a total of 93 percent of their existence inside (87 percent in enclosed buildings and 6 percent in vehicles).
Research shows that we’re now spending more time indoors than at any other point in human history.
The primary focus of treatment services, which are often referred to as recreational therapy, is to _______, _________, or _______ in order to improve functioning and independence as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability
Restore, Remediate, or Rehabilitate
Our sleep patterns are regulated by something called our ____________ ,essentially our internal body clock.
Circadian Rhythm
This is innately tied to the daily comings and goings of the sun. If we spend too much time inside and expose ourselves to too much artificial light, then our internal clocks go haywire.
Getting outdoors and exposing ourselves to sunlight can ‘reset’ our circadian rhythm and restore a more natural sleep pattern
Source: https://myopencountry.com