Walking in greenspace linked to a higher ‘sense of coherence’ resulting in increased stress coping abilities

A study from the University of Tsukuba, Japan found that taking regular walks in forests and greenspaces is linked to the stress coping abilities of individual workers. The study published in Public Health in Practice analysed 6,000 Japanese workers aged between 20 and 60 years old, to find their ‘sense of coherence’ (SOC) scores. The study looked at the workers SOC scores, demographic attributes and their forest/greenspace walking habits. The individuals were put into 4 groups based on their frequency of forest/greenspace walking, age, income and marital status. The results showed that those individuals who regularly walked in forests and greenspace had much higher SOC scores and increased stress coping abilities.

SOC is a triad comprised of:

• Meaningfulness (finding a sense of meaning)

• Comprehensibility (recognising and understanding stress)

• Manageability (feeling equipped to deal with stress)