A Walk in the Woods is Good for Us
- sandytownsend7
- Jul 21
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 23
We knew this, right?
That a walk in the outdoors is good for us.
And now the stats back us up. A study published in Molecular Psychology in 2022 by Sonia Sudimac and her partners showed that "Going for a walk in nature can have a salutogenic effect on stress-related brain regions and consequently, it may act as a preventative measure against mental stress and potentially disease.”
I had to look up “salutogenic.” According to Google, salutogenesis is a public health approach that focuses on factors that support health and well-being rather than solely on disease and its causes (pathogenesis).
It emphasizes understanding how people stay healthy, even when facing challenges and stressors. The core concept is the "sense of coherence (SOC)," which is a generalized way of perceiving one's life and environment as making sense, manageable, and meaningful.
These days, the news of the world seems very stress-filled. Our lives are busy, we have things to do, and our ability to make changes seems diminished. But we can control what we do every day, where and with whom we spend our time, and how we devote our energies and expertise. And it makes a difference to our personal health and sense of well-being.
And – TADAH! – a walk in the woods, along the beach, in our nature preserves and special habitats really helps our bodies and minds reset. It’s good for us!
And we knew it! HOORAY!
See you on our field trips and events! You know you want to come along. So let’s do it! YEAH!
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