Walk or Roll Your Way to a Better Day

The benefits of visiting a local park can be beneficial for your overall wellness.  Taking a walk/roll in the park can bring clarity to your mind and calm that inner voice that seems to be on a caffeine high.  We all need a little me time, and the change of scenery can be very therapeutic.

Getting out is so important to your emotional health.  Staying inside looking at the same four walls can cause depression, restlessness and anxiety just to name a few. 

When you are able to get out and about somewhere that is not only accessible but also usable/doable – it makes such a difference. 

Parks Offer Great Trails to Walk or Roll Along for Wellness

Walking or rolling – along with the change in scenery and sounds that come with nature walks- takes your mind off of issues you may be anxious about.

Being outside in the weather is also beneficial to your mind.  You feel the wind on your face and body, the sunshine, you see clouds moving, birds flying, etc.  All of this stimulates your mind in a positive way.  

This is so much better for your overall wellness than being in artificial lighting and stale air all day.  The exposure to natural sunlight gives you that much needed dose of vitamin D too.

Instead of being tense and sedentary, you are working those muscles physically- resulting in endorphins and serotonin being released to make you feel better.

It also helps you socialize, or at least be around others rather than being alone in a room.  

Even if you are walking alone- you still see and hear other people rather than just a TV. It’s normal to smile or say hello when passing someone during your walk, and just that along can boost your mood.

In fact, according to Mayo Clinic research, regular exercise releases “feel good endorphins, natural cannabis-like brain chemicals (endogenous cannabinoids) and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being.” 

 It also takes “your mind off worries so you can get away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression and anxiety”.  

You can venture out alone and use the “me time” to listen to a podcast, an ebook or some motivating music.  If you prefer, you can also make it a group effort and take your family or a friend with you so you can all benefit from the wellness treat.  

Don’t let frustrations stop you!  

Some of us however, may be physically unable to just get up and visit any park for this much needed dose of wellness.  Some may need to use a wheelchair to be mobile for example, and therefore have to be careful of paths with tree roots, rocks or dirt trails to name a few.  

We don’t want this to be a reason for avoiding a visit to a local park for some physical activity!

Yes, locations need to be wheelchair accessible due to the ADA.  But- just because you can get to the parking lot, doesn’t mean that once you are there that you can actually either maneuver or even enjoy yourself!   We understand that and want you to know that we have been there and done that- and want to share how we were able to overcome that obstacle.

Find your favorite spot

Why fix something that isn’t broken?  If you find a spot that is comfortable and accessible; it’s ok to make that one park your spot!  

You don’t have to keep exploring new spots and deal with frustration.  We have visited numerous spots and found one that is a gem for us.

A spot that is truly wheelchair FRIENDLY (not just accessible) is the Deputy Darren Goforth Park in Northwest Houston.  The park has a beautiful lake with fish, turtles and ducks along the way.  It also has a dog park where the dogs can go into the water.  

But the best part?  PAVED, WIDE TRAILS! Wide enough for myself and my husband when he is in his electric wheelchair (I call it a Humvee because it’s huge !!).  

The trail is just short of 2 miles so it’s a nice distance. When I say paved y’all- I truly mean paved.  Not a gravely trail that kills your wheels and arms!  Also- if it rained earlier you won’t sink or get stuck in a muddy trail- another plus! 

 I love it because I get to also enjoy a nice walk with my husband side by side on the trail, rather than having to walk one in front of the other due to a narrow trail.

Know Before You Go

What helped us?  We learned to check online reviews and pictures before going to a new park.  

We had experimented with numerous parks in our area.  When we arrived at several of them, we could tell right away that some of the trails were not actually paved and just wouldn’t work for us (our preference/ease of use).  

Several had gravel; not too loose-but still too difficult in a manual chair to maneuver through.  At first we would drive to a park and check it out, but now we know to check online first for pictures and reviews that others have posted ( Yelp also has these for viewing) so we know beforehand. 

We encourage you to look up parks in your area and check out the photos that other users post.  This will let you see the trails beforehand so that you will know if you will be able to roll on them at all. 

 It will also allow you to see if the trails are wide enough for two people side by side, or will it only accommodate one person at a time? 

 A trick that I like to do is Google the park, but I don’t actually click the link that comes up.  Instead- once the search results come up, on the right side of the page results it has info about the park, a chart of the busy times as well as reviews with pictures. 

We find this very handy as we prefer to go when it is not so busy.  When the trails are busy we can’t enjoy ourselves as much together since we take up more room.

Pick Your Park, Prepare and Get Movin!

Now get out there and enjoy nature- reap the benefits that a visit to the park can give you. 

 But make sure you apply your sunscreen no matter what the weather is like!  Depending on where you live, some states can experience severe heat in the summer.  Make sure you wear the proper clothing and bring water with you. 

The point of enjoying the park is for wellness and if you don’t prepare, you will only cause yourself discomfort.  Your phone should also show you the air quality for the day (in your weather app) so if it says unhealthy- please avoid spending excessive time outdoors that day.

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