A new study from Germany offers fresh evidence that spending time in nature is more than just relaxing—it may actually change your brain.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute asked volunteers to take a one-hour walk—either through a peaceful urban forest or along a busy city street.

They then scanned their brains both before and after.

The results were fascinating—those who walked in the forest showed an increase in the volume of the subiculum—a part of the hippocampus involved in stress regulation.

The authors explain, “The walk in a forest caused an increase in subiculum volume in the hippocampal formation, whereas it remained stable after a walk in an urban environment.”

Notably, this brain change was associated with a decrease in rumination—those repetitive, negative thoughts that can weigh us down.

While more research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms, researchers call them “seminal findings hinting at a causal relationship between exposure to nature and brain plasticity.”

In other words, a simple walk in the woods could help change your brain, making it more resilient to stress.

During these warm summer months, consider finding time for a walk in nature—whether it’s a forest, park, or garden.

You might discover, as John Burroughs once said, that “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”

Your brain—and your mood—may thank you for it.

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Adapted from: Sudimac, S, & Kühn, S. (2024). “Can a nature walk change your brain? Investigating hippocampal brain plasticity after one hour in a forest.” Environmental Research, 262,119813.