A walk outside can do more than help you reach your daily step goal. Research suggests that walking in natural environments, such as forests, parks, and other green spaces, may reduce short-term anxiety, support relaxation, and improve mood.
A large 2026 research overview examined 116 systematic reviews covering thousands of previous studies and an estimated total of more than 10 million participants. The researchers found that nature-based activities were associated with lower anxiety, depressive symptoms, negative emotions, and heart rate. Nature-based activities also appeared to increase positive emotions and relaxation.
Nature Walks vs. Urban Walks
Several studies compared walks in forests or green spaces with walks in urban areas. Urban walks showed smaller effects on anxiety and depression scores, as well as less relaxation.
How Long Should I Walk?
The studies used very different walking programs. Some participants walked for approximately 15 minutes, while others completed 30- or 50-minute walks. A few studies involved regular walks over several weeks or months.
Because the methods varied, researchers cannot recommend an exact amount of time. Still, some studies detected changes after walks lasting about 15 minutes.
How Does a Nature Walk Work?
Natural environments may contain fewer demanding sights, sounds, and interruptions than busy urban areas. This may give the brain a break from constant directed attention.
Nature may also produce a positive emotional response. Pleasant scenery, greenery, natural sounds, and a sense of distance from everyday pressures may help the body shift away from a heightened stress state.
Physical activity is another factor. Walking itself can support mental and physical health, regardless of the environment. In many studies, it is difficult to separate the benefits of movement from the benefits of nature.
Where Can I Take a Nature Walk?
Even a brief walk through a park or another green space may provide an opportunity to move, slow down, and give the mind a temporary break. Here are two online maps you can use to plan a nature walk.
The Nature Conservancy provides a map of nature preserves:
The American Hiking Society made a map with hiking locations across the country:
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Read Next:
Scientific and Other Sources:
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The American Hiking Society https://americanhiking.org/hiking-resources/#hikes-near-you
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The Nature Conservancy https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/
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A Systematic Overview and Second-Order Meta-Analysis of Nature-Based Interventions for Stress, Anxiety and Depression,Nature Human Behaviour, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-026-02433-4
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Walking in Nature Decreases State Anxiety Through Pleasure, Health & Place, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103498
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City Walk or Nature Walk? Evidence-Based Psychological and Physiological Outcomes – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128726
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Effect of Nature Walks on Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review, Sustainability https://doi.org/10.3390/su13074015
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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nature Walk as an Intervention for Anxiety and Depression, Journal of Clinical Medicine, https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11061731
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Forest Walking Affects Autonomic Nervous Activity: A Population-Based Study, Frontiers in Public Health https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00278
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can walking in nature really reduce anxiety?
Research suggests that walking in forests, parks, and other green spaces may reduce short-term anxiety and promote relaxation. However, a nature walk should not replace professional treatment for an anxiety disorder.
2. Is walking in nature better than walking in a city?
Both types of walking provide physical activity, but studies generally found greater improvements in relaxation, anxiety, and mood after walks in natural environments than after walks in urban areas.
3. How long should a nature walk be?
Researchers have not established an ideal duration because studies used different walking programs. Some studies detected emotional or physiological changes after approximately 15 minutes, while others examined walks lasting 30 to 50 minutes.
4. Why might nature walks improve mental well-being?
Natural environments may expose people to fewer demanding sights, sounds, and interruptions, giving the brain a temporary break. Greenery, pleasant scenery, natural sounds, and physical movement may also help reduce feelings of stress.
5. Do I need to visit a forest to benefit?
No. A local park, garden, nature trail, or another accessible green space may provide an opportunity to move, slow down, and take a break from everyday pressures.
Summary of the Article
Nature walks may reduce short-term anxiety, depressive symptoms, negative emotions, and heart rate while supporting relaxation and positive mood. Research suggests that walking in forests, parks, and other green spaces may provide greater psychological benefits than urban walking, although the ideal duration and the separate effects of nature and physical activity remain unclear.