Nature-based experiences help students reduce stress, improve mental health: Study

North Carolina: Birdwatching could be an option for college students looking to enhance their mental health.

According to a recent study, persons who have nature-based experiences report higher levels of well-being and lower levels of psychological discomfort than those who do not.

Birdwatching, in particular, produced encouraging effects, with bigger gains in subjective well-being and more distress reduction than more general nature exposure, such as walks.

Because birdwatching is a simple sport, the findings are positive for college students, who are among those most likely to have mental health issues.

"There has been a lot of research about well-being coming out through the pandemic that suggests adolescents and college-aged kids are struggling the most," said Nils Peterson, corresponding author of the study and a professor of forestry and environmental resources at North Carolina State University.

Bird watching is among the most ubiquitous ways that human beings interact with wildlife globally, and college campuses provide a pocket where there's access to that activity even in more urban settings.

(ANI)