RELAXATION ZONES

WHAT ARE RELAXATION ZONES?

A "relaxation zone" refers to any space that fosters feelings of mindfulness and relaxation.

WHY HAVE THEM?

Mental illness can be shaped by environmental factors that subconsciously shape people's well-being. For example, some of the most notable factors of the environment that can impact mental health include aesthetics and sensory (Lindberg, 2023). 

These are some things in a person's environment that can influence how comfortable, relaxed, and safe a person feels in the space they are occupying:

(Lindberg, 2023)

Therefore, it is crucial that college campuses offer spaces with relaxing environments that encourage positive mental stimulus and promote better mental well-being among the student body population.

TARGET LOCATIONS:

These zones will be placed in high traffic on campus areas where students are already likely to congregate such as:

WHAT THESE ZONES WILL INCLUDE:

Comfortable Seating

• This seating space would include couches suitable for napping as well as soft chairs for general sitting.

• These seating areas will also have built in outlets so that people can charge their electronics if they want somewhere comfortable

Indoor Greenspace

• It's been show that exposure to greenspaces has been shown to have notable psychological benefits that foster pro-mental health behaviors and offer uniquely positive experiences (Barton & Rogerson, 2017).

• Greenspaces have been shown to also improve air quality and when people feel better physically, they also tend to feel better mentally 

Snack Bar

• The snack bar would include healthy snacks like granola bars and fresh fruits as well as popular comfort foods such chips, popcorn, pretzels, etc.

• Depending on the food item, availability, and demand, some of the options will be free so that more students can access them.

• During certain times of the semester, the snack bar will offer things such as free hot chocolate during special days in the colder months.

Activities Counter

• Though some of the activities and materials offered may vary from location to location, an activities counter will be offered in all of the relaxation spaces.

• This counter is intended to offer students activities that can either be done in the relaxation zone or somewhere else on campus.

• Some materials for activities include:

  • blankets for warming up and resting

  • picnic blankets for staying outside in places like Erickson Field

  • yoga mats to be used in the open space of the relaxation zone

  • books for reading

• Students can check out these materials through their campus ID card to help keep track of who is checking out what and to gather data on how frequently the services are being used.

TIMELINE:

06/01/2024: Construction of relaxation zones start as the academic year ends and the summer break begins

June 2024 - August 2025: Estimated length of construction of relaxation zones

09/01/2025: Opening day for all relaxation zones

REFERENCES:

Barton, J., & Rogerson, M. (2017). The importance of greenspace for mental health. BJPsych International, 14(4), 79–81. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5663018/

Lindberg, S. (2023, March 23). How Your Environment Affects Your Mental Health. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-your-environment-affects-your-mental-health-5093687