The Health and Social Benefits of Recreation Essay

The Health and Social Benefits of Recreation Essay

The Health and Social Benefits of Recreation Essay

Opportunities for recreational and leisure-time activities available in Sentinel City

Observed:  a museum, nature trails, playgrounds, parks

Not observed: support groups for physical activities, sports academies, special programs for the elderly

Physical & Mental Health Benefits

Other than decreasing obesity, list two physical benefits of recreation and include an evidence-based rationale

1. Recreation increases vitamin D levels. Vitamin D has protective effects against osteoporosis (WebMD & Harvard Health Publishing, 2020). The increased levels help synthesize calcium, which plays a critical role in optimizing muscle function and strengthening bones. As a result, a person engaging in outdoor recreation has better jump height, power, and overall physical performance.
2. Outdoor recreation helps people to exercise longer and burn more calories. Continuous physical exercise is associated with better body shapes. Health research shows that people exercising outdoors burn 10% more calories than people using treadmills and other indoor activities (WebMD & Harvard Health Publishing, 2020). The surrounding environment distracts people during outdoor exercises, making them enjoy what they are doing hence doing it longer.
   

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List two mental health benefits of recreation for the elderly and include an evidence-based rationale

1. Exercise helps to reduce stress and depression. Exercising outdoors while interacting with nature and enjoying natural light improves people’s mood and reduces stress and depression (WebMD & Harvard Health Publishing, 2020). Stress and depression are typical in old age as the elderly struggle to cope with neglect, deteriorating physical health, and inability to handle activities of daily living.
2. Exercise reduces anxiety and increases self-esteem among the elderly. Recreation through outdoor activities gives a calming effect, enabling the elderly to calm their mind. Given that humans are social beings, the interaction with other people during recreation benefits mental health, reducing morbidity and mortality risk (Callow et al., 2020). Isolation increases anxiety and loneliness, which are significant risks to cognitive decline.

Social Benefits of Recreation

Provide three examples in each column

How recreation strengthens communities:

1. Creates more healthier and productive communities.
2. Enhances safety.
3. Promotes cultural sensitivity.

Evidence-based rationale

Recreation facilities give people an opportunity to improve their physical and mental health. Optimal health increases people’s overall productivity and well-being (Grimani et al., 2019). Meeting during recreation also enables people to know each other, enhancing safety. Interacting with diverse cultures is integral in making people culturally sensitive.

How recreation promotes social bonds:

1. People get a chance to share lifestyles.
2. Different cultures interact and share norms, values, and beliefs.
3. Interaction with different or like-minded people during recreation enables people to make friends.

Evidence-based rationale

Recreation allows people to connect with nature and other people. The interaction is pivotal in developing cultural heritage, a leading reason why outdoor recreation and sports are a crucial part of the American culture (Jugl et al., 2021). Recreation allows people to learn from each other, make friends, and appreciate their differences as they engage in common activities.

How recreation supports youth:

1. Gives the youth opportunities to network
2. Helps the youth to make better choices such as avoiding crime
3. Recreation improves youth’s physical and mental health

Evidence-based rationale

The youth is a vulnerable population that should make informed decisions always. Recreation offers a perfect opportunity for youths to network as they look for jobs, make friendships, and start relationships. Jugl et al. (2021) found that recreation through sports reduces crime as young people engage in positive behavior. General happiness, physical exercise, and interaction improve the youth’s physical and mental health.

References

Callow, D. D., Arnold-Nedimala, N. A., Jordan, L. S., Pena, G. S., Won, J., Woodard, J. L., & Smith, J. C. (2020). The mental health benefits of physical activity in older adults survive the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(10), 1046-1057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2020.06.024

Grimani, A., Aboagye, E., & Kwak, L. (2019). The effectiveness of workplace nutrition and physical activity interventions in improving productivity, work performance and workability: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8033-1

Jugl, I., Bender, D., & Lösel, F. (2021). Do sports programs prevent crime and reduce reoffending? a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of sports programs. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 1-52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10940-021-09536-3

WebMD & Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). Benefits of being outdoor and physical activities. Franklin County Public Health. https://myfcph.org/benefits-of-being-outdoors-and-physical-activity/

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Subsystem: Recreation
Opportunities for recreational and leisure-time activities available in Sentinel City

Observed: Sentinel School District, Sentinel Museum, Sentinel City Park and Recreation Department all have parks.

Not observed: When talking to the mayor, there is no actual gym, but the community center has fitness classes.• Physical & Mental Health Benefits

Other than decreasing obesity, list two physical benefits of recreation and include an evidence- based rationale

1) The physical benefit of leisure is that it can strengthen bones and muscles. As we age, protecting bones, joints and muscles is very important. Going for a walk or playing tennis can help people stay physically active and slow the loss of bone density with age (CDC, 2020).

2) Another benefit of sports leisure is that it can help reduce many health risks that people may encounter in their lifetime. It can help reduce the health risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, and certain cancers, and can improve the overall quality of life (CDC, 2020).

List two mental health benefits of recreation for the elderly and include an evidence-based rationale

1) Exercise produces endorphins which is the “feel good” hormone. This acts as a stress reliever and it will leave someone feeling happier and satisfied. It is also known to help with sleeping which is very important for older adults who can struggle with insomnia and disrupted sleep patterns (thegreenfields, 2016)

2) Exercise can also help with the central nervous system. It is suggested that the increased oxygenation of the brain may stimulate and protect the CNS. It was also found that adults who exercised at least 30 minutes a day had a higher MMSE scores than older adults who did not (Lautenschlager., et al, 2004)

• Social Benefits of Recreation Provide three examples in each column

How recreation strengthens communities:
1. It can help culture
2. Promote social responsibility
3. Community and inclusion Evidence-based rationale:
Recreation promotes positive connection between different ethnic groups. It also helps to open communication between different ethnic groups. It may also help with breaking down barriers of unfamiliarity, fear, and isolations between different cultures (Schwarzenegger et al., 2005).
How recreation promotes social bonds:
1. It can help build teamwork with people of different backgrounds.
2. This can help others to connect from different areas of the town.
3. It can help with those who do not go out as much and have an opportunity to make friends. Evidence-based rationale
Recreation activities can help with social skills as well and it can help teach how people can interact with one another. As well as helping people become friends with those around them. Also, it can help those work on teamwork. This will help build social bonds by creating teamwork it can be as simple as a group of people trying to solve a problem as a group (Onlinedegrees, 2020).

How recreation supports youth:
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2. Helps increase positive and reduce negative behavior
3. It will enable young people to reduce violence Evidence-based rationale
Recreation for the youth is important to help them succeed later on in life. It helps with promoting opportunities for adolescents to develop and grow to become fully functioning adults (NRPA, 2020).

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