Exercise - and Bird-Watching - is Good for Us!

By Ann Paul, Tampa Audubon President

A study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association’s Network Open published in 2023 reported that scientists, tracking 4,106 older people for ten years, found that physical exercise may help ward off depression.

Apparently, those who reported doing 100 to 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week had a 43 percent lower risk of depression than those who did no exercise. The JAMA’s recommendation is that we all need to walk, bike, dance, swim, golf, play tennis or pickleball, or garden, as there is plenty of evidence that exercise can protect your mental and physical health.

So can bird-watching! Other studies show that just being in nature, among trees, near the water, in a park, or our own gardens is really good for our peace of mind and sense of well-being.

So! Mark your calendars and join our field trips! Check out the field trips led by other regional Audubon chapters! Participate in birding festivals, including the Florida Birding and Nature Festival in October at Apollo Beach!

So! Let’s go, because it’s good for us! And because, when we do, we also become advocates for the wild places that make a difference to us, to our region’s clean air and water, and provide a place for our birds and other Florida wildlife to survive.