Taking frequent walks in forests, parks, and other urban greenspaces may boost your ability to cope with stress, a recent study has found.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Tsukuba along with the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute in Ibaraki Prefecture.
The team analyzed responses to a questionnaire administered to working belonging to the Tsukuba Science City Network in 2017, resulting in a population sample of approximately 6,500 male and female participants, whose ages ranged from their 20s to 50s.
Researchers looked for a correlation between participants' mental and physical health and how often they took "walks" in forests (defined as including hiking, nature observation, mountain climbing, and camping) or greenspaces such as city parks.
Those who answered that they communed with nature at least once a week had 2-3 times better stress-coping skills than participants who rarely visited forests or parks. Even going for 1-3 infrequent walks per month nearly doubled participants' ability to cope with stress.
The team's research was presented in the international journal "Public Health in Practice," where they concluded, "The findings of this study suggest that forest/greenspace walking is a good health habit that could lead to better stress-management and mental health."
Going forward, the researchers say they intend to investigate the mechanism by which contact with nature enhances the coping skills.
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