Access to Parks Improves Mental Health

Written by Kandy Christensen
Chicago Parks Foundation’s Grants & Finance Administrator

On a rare sunny Chicago Spring day I went to Big Marsh park for an event called “Discovering Mental Health in Nature,” hosted by the Nature, Culture, and Human Health Network (NCH2). It was also a great opportunity to explore the new Ford Calumet Environmental Center, and all that Big Marsh has to offer. 

We learned that nature has been proven to relieve anxiety and depression by reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the production of stress hormones. There have been studies that show that time spent outdoors can reduce the risk of asthma, allergies, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Spending time in nature can also give a boost to our happiness, creativity, ability to focus, and ability to sleep well. 

There is a link that exists between communities and the natural world. As people spend more time in nature, it inspires greater empathy and connection with nature. People then share their positive experiences with their family and community, with the end result being more people using their local parks. We need our green spaces in order to be happy and healthy human beings. 

We then went for a walking meditation through Big Marsh. Our group of about twenty people walked slowly and silently along the path. I started to sink into the sensation and noticed the wind on my face, the sound of birds in the distance, and the feeling of my feet along the path. It was only a twenty minute walk but I felt my worries fading into the background as I enjoyed being out in nature. On our return we saw a bald eagle and it was amazing to see, and to know that even in the city we have access to wildlife. 

You don’t need a guide or an expert to do your own walking meditation. Simply leave your tech behind, or silence your notifications, and start to pay attention to the world around you. 

Thanks for sharing, Kandy!

Looking to get outside for your own mental health?

Join us for our 2022 Walk With A Future Doc series! Local medical students lead free 45-min weekly park walks and give short talks on health-related topics.

LAKE SHORE PARK
808 N. Lake Shore Drive
Every Wednesday at 6:00PM
Starting June 1, 2022

PROMONTORY POINT
Wallach Fountain, Lakefront Trail
Every Other Saturday at 9:00AM
Starting July 23, 2022

Presented by Chicago Parks Foundation in partnership with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Special thanks to Lake Shore Park Advisory Council and Promontory Point Conservancy.