Walking in nature can transform your mood and motivation

Most people already know that nature feels good. But now, science has put numbers behind that feeling. A new study shows that exercise in green surroundings – like parks, forests, or beaches – actually makes your body and brain feel better than working out indoors or in city streets.

If you’ve ever gone for a walk under trees or by the ocean and come back feeling a little lighter, less annoyed, or even just clearer in your head, you’re not imagining it. Nature is doing real work behind the scenes.

Nature alters the exercise response

In this study, researchers asked 25 young men to walk briskly in three different places: a green natural area, an urban route through the city, and indoors at a fitness center. The walking pace stayed the same across all three settings. But everything else was different.

After each walk, scientists checked their stress hormone levels, mood, heart rate, and how hard the walk felt. The differences were clear.

Study co-author Stefano De Dominicis is a professor in the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen.

“The participants felt significantly more relaxed and had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after walking in nature. At the same time, they reported greater joy and less fatigue,” said Professor De Dominicis.

Being outside just feels better

This study wasn’t just about numbers. It also asked the men how they felt after each walk. And again, nature won.

Participants said they felt more relaxed, optimistic, and satisfied after walking in nature. They also said they felt less bored, anxious, and irritated.

Those negative feelings didn’t just disappear – they actually increased indoors. Boredom, for example, went up after walking inside. But it dropped during a walk in nature.

Even their heart rates told the same story. Heart rates decreased faster after the outdoor walk, and heart rate variability was 20–30% higher compared to the indoor walk. That means the body was more ready to calm down and recover.

The desire to exercise in nature

It wasn’t just about how people felt during the walk – it was also about how they felt after. The study found that people were much more likely to want to walk again if they had done it in nature.

“The figures show that nature not only gives a short-term boost to mood – it also reduces negative feelings and increases motivation to continue being physically active,” said Professor De Dominicis.

Many people struggle to stick with an exercise habit. If walking outside feels easier and more enjoyable, people are more likely to do it again. And again.

The brain is wired for nature

There’s a reason nature works so well. “Humans were born in nature and we have undergone most of our evolution in it. Therefore, it is not surprising that we feel good when we are in it,” said Professor De Dominicis.

Our brains still recognize nature as a place of safety and calm. The noise and pace of city life can stress us out without us even noticing. Walls and artificial light just can’t compete with sunlight, trees, and fresh air.

This doesn’t mean indoor workouts are bad. Gyms and sports teams offer social connection and structure. But mixing in some outdoor time could bring extra benefits.

“The mental and physical benefits seem to be significantly greater when exercising in nature, so people can benefit greatly from replacing just one of their weekly indoor workouts with 30 minutes of exercise in green surroundings,” explained Professor De Dominicis.

Nature, exercise, and public health

The big takeaway from this study is that environment matters more than we thought. Mood, motivation, recovery – and even heart health – all responded better to green surroundings.

And now that we have both personal and physical data to back it up, this information could help shape healthier cities and better wellness strategies.

The researchers hope their work will inspire cities to create more green spaces. They also see potential for nature-based exercise programs to support people facing mental health struggles or seeking to be more active.

“We see great potential in using nature as a driving force for physical activity – especially for those who find it difficult to get started,” said Professor De Dominicis.

The full study was published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise.

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