A team of American and British researchers published a recent study showing that group walks outdoors help combat stress and promote mental well-being. 
Scientists from the University of Michigan worked together with Edge Hill University and evaluated 1,991 participants in England's “Walking for Health” program, which organizes around 3,000 walks a week for more than 70,000 regular participants. What they found was that these walks in nature were associated with much lower rates of depression, and that they eased the negative effects of stressful life events and general stress. The results were published in the September issue of Ecopsychology.
Sara Warber, associate professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and lead author of the study, noted that the large sample size was a key factor. “We looked at the behaviors of a large group, where some chose to go out walking and others didn't, rather than us telling them what to do,” she said. “After 13 weeks, those people who chose to walk at least once a week experienced positive emotions and lower stress.“
Warber and co-author Kate Irvine, principal researcher at the Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences Research Group at the James Hutton Institute in the United Kingdom, recommend taking outdoor walks in nature at least 3 times a week to experience the benefits. They also add that short, frequent walks are more beneficial than long, occasional ones. “Stress is never going to disappear, so it's important to have a way to deal with it,” said Warber. “Walking in nature is a coping mechanism, and the benefits aren't just physical,” she added.
