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Walking in Nature Helps the Brain Cope with Stress
Disclaimer: Not medical or professional advice. Always seek the advice of your physician.
Around 55% of the world's population currently lives in cities. By 2050, that figure is expected to grow to 68%. Despite the many benefits, urban and metropolitan residents have a 50% higher risk of developing mood disorders and depression than people living in rural areas.
Stress is an inevitable aspect of modern life rhythm. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely avoid stressful situations. Therefore, adapting to potential problems without negative consequences for emotional and physical health is extremely important.
German Scientists Have Discovered that Spending Time in Nature has Favorable Effects on Mental Health
The study led by Simone Kühn observed the response to stress in 63 healthy people. 29 of them were women aged 18 to 47. Each study participant had to complete questionnaires and go through several phases of testing.
Subsequently, they underwent fMRI scanning and were asked to respond to a series of questions that induced rumination (anxious thoughts). The following stages included the Fearful Faces Task (FFT) and the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST) designed to artificially provoke stress and evaluate participants’ initial reactions.
Researchers collected detailed records of brain responses to the tests. In particular, they monitored changes in the regions of the brain that control emotions, a sense of fear, a decision-making process, impulsiveness, and action planning.
After completing the tests, the study participants were randomly divided into two groups. Both were given specific routes for an hour walk. One group walked along the busy shopping street Schlossstrasse, while another group had a walk in Grunewald Forest, the largest green area in the city. Participants were instructed to wear a wrist-strapped sensor that monitored physiological indicators of stress such as electrodermal activity and heart rate.
Study participants were also told not to use their mobile phones, enter shops and deviate from the given route to avoid possible mental distraction.
Immediately after the walk, researchers repeated the fMRI scanning and stress tests. Also, they asked attendees to fill out the questionnaires again.
Results of Simone Kühn’s Team Study
The study findings revealed that walking through the shopping district did not change participants’ indicators of stress. However, participants in the second group experienced a 50% decline in brain responses to stress tests after the walk in the forest. The most pronounced results were observed in the brain areas responsible for fear reflex, increased psychological excitability, and compulsive disorders. The physiological parameters of both groups remained in the normal range.
Hence, the authors of the study concluded that the positive effect of nature exposure is not associated with a temporary escape from urban settings but with a reduction in the brain's reaction to stress. Environmental factors significantly affect the brain and mental health.
The study report was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
The study's conclusions are confirmed by other research. In 2019, American scientists found that leisurely walks in nature reduced the concentration of biomarkers of stress – salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase. According to an article published a year earlier, students are more productive in school following an outdoor lesson.
The Simone Kühn team is currently studying the effects of outdoor activities on the brain activity of children and their parents. Researchers hope their study results will help urban planners create more accessible green spaces for people to relax in metropolitan areas.
Previous studies have shown that stress quickly weakens the immune system, making people more vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2. Their study explains the mechanism of this process in the body.