Os Efeitos dos Desportos de Lazer na Natureza na Satisfação e no Bem-Estar: Comparação com Atividades Indoor Dissertação

Abstract

Growing urbanisation and sedentary lifestyles reflect an increasing demand for leisure alternatives, particularly with regard to physical activity in natural environments. The literature shows that outdoor leisure sports offer psychological and physiological benefits that differ from those of indoor activities. The aim of this study is to analyse and compare the impact of leisure sports in nature on participants' satisfaction and subjective well-being, in relation to those who engage in physical activity predominantly in gyms and indoor spaces. During the research, it became clear how significant this topic is, as well as the extent to which it has been studied over the years. Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995) emphasises that natural environments have the capacity to restore attention, readjusting the way fatigue is managed. Similarly, Stress Recovery Theory (Ulrich, 1983) highlights the role of the affective response to nature in reducing stress. The methodology adopted is both qualitative and quantitative, using a questionnaire with a sample of 200 people who engage in outdoor and indoor physical activity. The results confirm that those who practise outdoor sports achieve significantly higher scores for life satisfaction and psychological well-being compared to those who exercise indoors. In the analysis by Peddie et al. (2024), the 38 studies examined (1,168 participants) corroborate the questionnaire results, indicating that outdoor exercise scores significantly higher than indoor exercise, although intensity is controlled. According to Okudan et al. (2025), in a study of 350 nature sports participants, the results are most noticeable in terms of mental health. The practical implications of this study are the need for public health policies that promote access to natural spaces and outdoor physical activity programmes as part of public health strategy. It is also important for sports and health institutions, integrating the environmental dimension into intervention programmes.