Managing stress through outdoor recreation.

To be alive means to experience stress; it is a normal and natural part of life. Learning to live and get ahead today involves some level of stress, and the costs of stress and stress-related illnesses are now estimated to exceed $100 billion annually.

Hans Selye, considered the father of the stress concept, described stress as a nonspecific response by the body to any demand placed on it. Stressors are the external events that cause the stress response. Stressors can be categorized into three areas: cataclysmic events such as floods, tornadoes, and earthquakes; personal events like a death, losing a job, or getting a divorce; and background events such as overcrowding, noise, or family problems. Most of the stressors we face today are chronic and ongoing and often occur simultaneously. Rush-hour traffic, a packed schedule, relationship problems, illness, or money worries are examples of potentially simultaneous stressors. These events can be unpredictable and cannot be completely avoided.

When attempting to manage stress, it is important to understand that stressors exist in the eye of the beholder. Every event does not necessarily cause distress. Stressors themselves are less responsible for the stress response than the way we react to stressful events. In other words, stressors are unique perceptual events that require individual adaptation.

If an incident is seen as positive it will result in eustress, and the individual will react to the situation in a way that promotes well-being. Eu- is the Greek prefix for good. So, eustress results in a person adapting as positively as possible to any of the cataclysmic, personal, or background events that may occur to him or her.

If an event is perceived as negative or if too many demands are placed on an individual, it will result in distress. Distress is a state of physical or psychological imbalance resulting from exposure to intense, prolonged, or unrelenting demands.

Signs and symptoms of distress include anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, increased craving for drugs or food, mood swings, fatigue, and headaches. If this type of stress goes unresolved for an extended period, it can result in a variety of stress-related illnesses such as heartburn, gastritis, herpes, ulcers, hypertension, and heart disease.

Stress management is a process that requires the assessment of the stressors in one's life and the identification of the strategies to deal with them in a manner that is health-enhancing. Some of the most frequent types of health promotion interventions in the workplace are stress-management activities. Positive coping skills, along with changes in lifestyle and attitude, can help one prepare mentally for stressful situations. It is also important to seek outlets for relaxation that aid in the healing and recovery process when a negative stress response occurs. The purpose of this article is to point out activities in outdoor recreation that aid in stress reduction.

Science and medical research have clearly demonstrated that recreation pays when it comes to our overall health and well-being. Outdoor recreation specialists need to utilize the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity to market their programs as beneficial to people's overall health and well-being. Not only do most outdoor activities involve a degree of action, they also double as stress busters and are available for people of all ages.

Senior centers, in particular, offer a wide variety of outdoor activities for those looking for a little exercise or social interaction. Many older adults simply don't realize what is available. For those not interested in lawn bowling, croquet, or horseshoes, there is always skydiving, bungee jumping, mountain climbing, swimming, aqua aerobics, and softball and volleyball leagues. Most cities have recreation centers with planned outdoor activities for seniors. One of the most popular organized recreational activities is walking. Large groups get together a few times a week and walk; many add variety to their walks by driving to different locations for a change of scenery. Walking provides them with a good workout, an opportunity to socialize, and an outlet for stress release.

It is impossible to select outdoor recreation activities best suited to reducing the impact of specific stressors. Outdoor recreation activities are as unique as the events that produce the stress, and require individual identification.

If an individual is dealing with events that are cataclysmic in nature and largely unpredictable, it will typically require something besides outdoor recreation. Under catastrophic circumstances, there are a number of stress-management techniques that individuals may use to reduce the impact of these types of stressors. Specifically, individuals can continue to take care of their bodies the best they can by eating properly and getting proper amounts of rest; utilizing the support systems that are typically provided in times of misfortune; acknowledging and managing the wide range of emotions they will experience in response to a disaster; and identifying and employing various relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery.

On the other hand, if stress is the result of either personal or background stressors, there are a number of outdoor recreation activities that can be used as part of a positive coping system to eliminate or reduce the impact of the stressful event. Stress associated with money, kids, and crowds requires the appropriate selection of outdoor recreation activities that is affordable, easily accessible, and adult-oriented. Say, for instance, the stressor involves the noise and crowds of a large urban environment. Skiing in upstate New York around appropriately named Lake Placid might be just the ticket. But one must also exercise caution when selecting sites for activity because, depending upon the time of year and condition of the snow, these places may be even more crowded and chaotic than the place one was originally attempting to escape. So, to truly get away from it all, one must select the activity, time, and place wisely.

Larger cities have more to offer -- zoos, theme parks, racetracks, and professional sports teams -- in the way of urban outdoor recreation. Meanwhile, smaller metropolitan areas offer easier access to activities such as golfing, fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking, and biking, which require wide-open spaces. Convenient outdoor recreation in a national forest or on a wild and scenic fiver is a lucky geographical circumstance; however, other fun and inexpensive possibilities may be fight around the corner. If money is a source of stress, one needs to look no further than a local running or walking club. To paraphrase a line from Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers." In other words, if you have money worries, it is still relatively easy to find activities nearby that are inexpensive and help maintain a balance among mind, body, and soul. Of course, no one needs to join a club to enjoy these activities, but the social component may be an additional plus to the physical benefits associated with walking and running.

People need information about which activities are good for those who don't like competition or which activities can be worked into busy schedules. Some might find kayaking with the whales on the Pacific Coast a good release, while others might enjoy hiking the Appalachian Trail or snowshoeing in Michigan's upper peninsula. Other possibilities include fly-fishing on the Buffalo National River or biking the Slickrock Trail, the ride that made Moab, Utah, the mountain-biking capital of the world. Of course most of us don't have to travel to these exotic locations to enjoy the benefits of kayaking, hiking, fishing, or biking; there are plenty of opportunities to participate in these activities "right around the corner" from where you live.

If you are looking for information about outdoor recreation activities, there are a number of sites on the World Wide Web that provide advice about all types of activities. Try the following addresses: www.gorp.com, www.snowlink.com, or www.runnersworld.com

Most people don't need to be reminded to play; but perhaps they need to be reminded of the many benefits that can be derived from play. There are emotional, social, physical, and spiritual benefits associated with most of the outdoor activities in which we participate. Although such activities often take a back seat to work and family responsibilities, they are critically important to providing balance in one's life. Life requires continual adjustment in order to maintain balance, and managing stress through outdoor recreation can be an important and valuable part of that balancing act.

Park and recreation professionals need to educate the public about the importance of outdoor recreation and the positive impact it can have on their overall health and well-being. When promoting outdoor activities, park and recreation professionals can incorporate wellness into press releases, brochures, and fliers. By doing this they can promote their specific attractions along with the connection between outdoor recreation and wellness.

Just as stressors are all around us, so are opportunities for outdoor recreation. During most outdoor recreation activities we are not in competition with others, we are simply involved in a process to see, touch, or smell something different. Whether we see a sunset, sunrise, waterfall, or wildlife we have been successful. So, go out and get jiggy with nature.