Parks and Recreation Provides Lots of Ways to Manage Stress

July is Park and Recreation Month, so the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) would like to remind people that there are numerous opportunities to unwind with local parks and recreation, whether through participating in arts and crafts as a family, exploring the local trail system, or taking an exercise or dance class. The most common activities among adults to unwind and de-stress include visiting a local park, taking a break from their routine, exercising outdoors, maintaining a healthy diet, expressing themselves creatively and reaching out to their support system.

Key Findings:

• Almost all U.S. adults (91%) have a strategy or activity that helps manage stress.
• More than half (51%) of all U.S. adults and 58 percent (58%) of parents visit local parks/enjoy time in nature as a means of lessening stress.
• Fifty-eight percent (58%) of residents in the south mitigate stress by taking a break from their everyday routine.
• Fifty-seven percent (57%) of millennials look to local trails and neighborhood exercising as a stress-relief strategy.
• Forty-eight percent (48%) of baby boomers use maintaining a healthy diet as a way to manage stress.

View the interactive charts with the survey results.

For more information, visit NRPA.org.