Exposure to nature and the natural world during daily activities such as walking to and from work reduces stress and anxiety, according to a new study at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.
Using eye-tracking technology, Technion students who participated in the study walked around the campus to simulate a daily walk to work or school.
The students formed three separate groups: one whose members made a point of observing the nature around them and stopped 10 times at “green” spots that included elements of the natural world; one group whose members also stopped at 10 points, but only “gray” locations with man-made features such as buildings, roads and cars; and one group whose members observed both natural and artificial features.
The members of the group that focused on green elements said that they experienced a reduction in stress and anxiety after their walk, something that members of the other two groups did not report.
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