Photo: @marvins_memories//Unsplash
Here’s something we all know: being outdoors can have a genuinely positive effect on a person. It’s a scientific fact that’s been researched over and over again, from impacts on major depressive disorders to diagnosed genetic conditions like cystic fibrosis and many more. And there’s no shortage of surfers who will tell you that a simple dip in the ocean can have indescribable positive impacts on their day, and life.
A study published in Bio Med Central (BMC) is adding to what we’re learning about this after researchers used surf therapy and hike therapy to observe the treatment of active duty military service members in San Diego. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated five percent of adults around the world suffer from a variety of depressive disorders, which can contribute to substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and more. But that number goes up to eight percent among military service members. And while exercise has been proven to have positive benefits in treatment of depression, there’s plenty of evidence telling us that physical activity outdoors has an even greater positive impact on depressive symptoms.
For this study, researchers worked with 96 active-duty military members referred to the Wounded, Ill, and Injured (WII) Wellness Program at the Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD). All participants suffered from major depressive disorders and were enrolled in the study’s surf or hike therapy programs for the first time as a control for the study. Each were randomly assigned to a given activity over a period of six weeks with sessions lasting for three to four hours at a time and depression was assessed preprogram with clinical evaluations, after each session, post-program, and once more three months after the program was completed.
Unsurprisingly, the researchers started this all thinking participants in the surf therapy program would see greater improvements to their symptoms and overall condition.
“Although hiking/walking is physical activity that can incorporate social interaction within a natural environment, a water-based environment or ‘blue space’ [41] may confer greater benefits through unique sensory information created by the environment [42],” they wrote.
But what they learned was that both activities had similar positive impact. There was no evidence to suggest that surfing has a greater mental health benefit than simply hiking. While the hiking cohort in this study had more severe depressive symptoms and levels of depression at baseline, the study found that its effectiveness as a treatment followed the same trajectory as the surfing cohort. The key, of course, is just being outdoors and enjoying some physical activity.
“Contrary to expectations, there was little evidence for the enhanced effects of Surf Therapy relative to Hike Therapy,” they concluded. “Although the Surf Therapy group reported less severe depressive symptoms during the intervention period, the trajectories of symptom change were parallel between the intervention groups across time, as well as within session.”
