Mental Health News
Researchers at the Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience revealed how a brief one-hour walk in nature can spell wonders for our mental health. The study is published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
The Study
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers examined brain activity in regions involved with stress. They recruited 63 healthy volunteers and examined them before and after nature walks in Grunewald forest or strutting down a shopping street with traffic in Berlin.
The Findings
The results provided interesting insights into how the physical living environment affects our brain and mental health. Nature nurtures the brain; in fact, a walk in nature reduces stress in the brain and amygdala activity. Furthermore, a brief one-hour walk in nature benefits mental health by reducing the risks of depression, anxiety, etc.
The researchers elaborated: “The results support the previously assumed positive relationship between nature and brain health, but this is the first study to prove the causal link.”
To Know More You May Refer To
Sudimac, S., Sale, V., & Kühn, S. (2022). How nature nurtures: Amygdala activity decreases as the result of a one-hour walk in nature. Molecular Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01720-6
