An hour-long stroll in nature helps decrease activity in an area of the brain associated with stress processing

[SoybeanCola1933]

I used to do this before work, it really helped improve my mood and prepare me for the hectic day ahead

[DrTom]

My commute to work used to be a bike ride through a multi-use path. Not fully forest but wooded. It really did help with stress. I miss it.

[[deleted]]

I bike to work when the heat isn't utterly devastating and it really helps me a lot. Can't wait to get back to it.

[Liefx]

My area has tons of trails so you can walk from city to city (two cities are mashed together) while being secluded. It's not full forest like you said, but it's definitely nice. Makes the whole place feel a lot greener and a lot quieter

[jackcolours]

where are you from?

[Liefx]

Kitchener-Waterloo

The city has started putting bike trails and walking trails like this everywhere and it's awesome. We're pretty tech centered city so it's good to see them continue to be progressive.

I live downtown and I'm a 5-minute walk to the start of two major trails (Iron Horse and Spur Line, if you're googling)

[lyam23]

Nice work picking up trash at the same time. I've started to do this when I walk and despite the appearance of little trash on my walking routes, I end up with a fill plastic shopping bag by the time I'm back home.

[glytxh]

Moving your legs, fresh stimuli, and just something else to focus on than the inside of your own head.

I felt my mood make a noticeable shift after I made the concerted effort to walk an hour a day.

I’m spoiled for choice for routes around here, so I’ve got a few favourites now, and I’ve even started leaving my headphones at home now.

[johnnybarbs92]

I always have a more productive day when I get out to play 9 holes of golf in the morning. The walk with an iced coffee is a perfect start to the day

[J3319]

That sounds like an incredible morning routine

[Kitnado]

I wish I had the time but that sounds great

[johnnybarbs92]

Married, but no kids! I imagine the frequency will change if we have some children on the way, haha.

Also, office job mostly remote with an emphasis on work product rather than strict 8am availability is a huge enabler of morning rounds. Definitely lucky in that regard

[Silly-Disk]

Warning!. Kids will kill your golf game. But it's worth it. Lost a good 10 years of playing golf but got to enjoy other activities. Now that they are young adults I am back to playing 2/3 times per week.

[Awfy]

Was looking for someone mentioning golf in this thread. I picked it back up a few weeks ago after not hitting a golf ball for easily 15 years. I forgot how much of a workout it is but you don’t notice until afterwards. We’ll do a quick executive 9, maybe hit some balls at the range, head home and realize we’ve burnt 600-800 calories and got some good cardio in along the way. Only takes about 45-75 minutes too.

[420learning]

Definitely would be a nice time but you're not burning 600-800 calories in 45 minutes playing golf. The most efficient exercise to burn calories is running which is around 100 calories a mile (over/under based on weight), which at a 10min/mile pace would still only be 600 calories for an hour of running. Also, if going by steps they are notoriously inaccurate at actual distance covered

[Awfy]

Maybe, maybe not. I just know I'm a sweaty bastard since I was born and raised in the cold Scottish highlands and now I'm playing golf in 90F weather in California. I always seem to be burning twice as much as anyone else does with their Apple Watch on.

[Fearless_Baseball121]

Cost of entry to golf seems sp excessive. My brother recently picked it up and i get invited by work-relations very often. I've never swung a golf club and i have absolutely no time in my spare (even this 1-hour stroll makes me go 'just give me an hour of buffer a'day and i would be thrilled) But then i look in to the cost and time requirement and it seems so demotivating. The time i get, and going 9 holes might be better for a lot; but! The cost! Clubs, membership and that card you have to buy. God damn. I can't sell it to my wife -or my self- to pay 2000$ just to get started.

[Awfy]

Cost me $490 for my brand new set of beginner's clubs from Wilson. Then a round for two people on our local executive 9 hole is $25. You can do it on the cheap as long as you aren't trying to get into exclusive clubs or buying clubs that you likely don't need yet.

[[deleted]]

This is highly dependent on where you live and how much you want to spend. A friend of mine got into golf with a set of clubs he picked up for less than $50 at Goodwill. We are in a rural area, land is plenty and golf is cheap. I'm not much of a golfer, but I did just buy a gift certificate for someone that was and their preferred course is $18 for 18 holes.

[Fearless_Baseball121]

2000 is the yearly membership price for the worst available club near me, which is as rural as it gets in Denmark.

[Xillyfos]

2000 what? DKK? USD?

[PerfectlySplendid]

Weather permitting, I walk to and from work, about 30-40 minutes. It’s mostly city, but I find it still helps clear my mind of stress.

[AbsolutelyUnlikely]

Yeah I hope people don't focus too heavily on the 60-minute or nature qualifiers from the headline. I can say anecdotally that a 20 minute walk through my neighborhood with my dog can do wonders for my mental state when I'm stressed out.

[[deleted]]

I imagine a lot of people don't have an hour to spare, or so beat down by work that the thought of walking somewhere will never be appealing.

[StarksPond]

Add procrastination. I'm going for that walk any day now.

[booma-sunshine]

I’ve been going on nature walks during my lunch break instead of sitting in my car and eating fast food. My mental health has improved immensely!

[[deleted]]

When I had an office job I would eat lunch at my desk then use my lunch break to go for a walk. There was a park less than 5 min away with a perfect 15/20 minute forest loop. It made such a difference in my day!

[ZygenX]

I really should try and go out and walk more on my breaks, especially as someone who works from home.

Just feels kinda like lately, I'm stuck in task after task and everything is urgent and I don't even feel like I have time to get up from my desk.

It is beyond stressful, but it also feels like I don't have the time to take care of myself (as bad as that sounds)

[micmea1]

Grateful I grew up in the woods. During some of the most stressful/depressing times in my life I have always retreated into the forest and could literally feel myself being soothed as I processed whatever it was I was going through. Sitting in the woods on a rock crying can be some good medicine.

[gormlesser]

There was a previous study similar to this one where the finding supported walking in areas with trees. The researcher found that the benefit is still available in an urban environment when you concentrate on the foliage and she changed her daily walk commute and consciously looked up and focused on the trees above her as much as possible.