Psychophysiological restoration in nature: a randomized controlled trial investigating the cognitive, affective, and physiological benefits of green exercise
Randomized trial investigates cognitive, affective, and physiological benefits of walking in nature for urban dwellers, suggesting effective mental health strategies.
Key Points
The study aims to explore the restorative effects of green exercise on cognitive, affective, and physiological parameters in an urban setting.
Comparison of a 30-minute walk in an urban forest to a laboratory setting
Assessment included cognitive tasks, mood states, cortisol levels, and heart rate variability measurements.
Outdoor Green group showed significantly greater improvements in directed attention (p<0.001) and mood disturbance (p<0.001) compared to the Indoor Control
Outdoor group had a greater reduction in salivary cortisol (interaction p=0.001) and increase in HRV-RMSSD (p<0.001)
Mediation analysis indicated that reduced negative affect partly mediated the restoration of cognitive function.