(Vienna, 28 Mai 2025) Exposure to natural forest landscapes has been proven to have a positive effect on mental health and stress levels - even after a short time. Just 20 minutes is enough to achieve measurable relaxation effects. This is shown by a recent experimental field study conducted in the Vienna Woods by the Medical University of Vienna in cooperation with partner institutions and published in the scientific journal "Forests". The results provide important new insights into the health-promoting effects of spending time in nature and emphasise the relevance of nature-based interventions for sustainable health promotion.
In the Vienna study, 66 healthy adults were randomly assigned to two groups: One group spent 20 minutes in a wooded area with varying tree species diversity in the Vienna Woods, the other in an urban environment without greenery. Saliva samples were taken before and after the stay to determine the physiological stress marker cortisol. At the same time, a psychological survey was carried out using standardised, validated psychometric instruments, including the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The statistical analysis of the collected data showed that the forest group exhibited a significant reduction in cortisol levels - a marker of stress - from around 4 to 2 ng/mL, while the urban group showed no such effect, with positive mood remaining stable in the forest group and decreasing by around 25 % in the urban group. At the same time, negative affect dropped by around 12% in the forest group, indicating a noticeable relief from stressful emotions. In the urban group, on the other hand, the mood remained largely unchanged. "The results clearly indicate that even a short stay in the forest improves mood," explains Daniela Haluza from the Department of Environmental Health at MedUni Vienna's Center for Public Health. "Our study in the Vienna Woods confirms that well-preserved forest landscapes can make a measurable contribution to stress reduction and mental well-being."
Recommendations for healthcare and urban development
In view of increasing psychological stress, particularly in urban areas, these findings could provide new impetus for prevention and health care - for example, through the greater integration of nature-based elements in urban planning or targeted recommendations for population groups exposed to stress.
"We are in favour of integrating the preventative potential of contact with nature more strongly into public health care - be it through therapeutic visits to the forest or health-related education," says environmental medicine specialist Daniela Haluza.
The research team also emphasises the importance of freely accessible recreational areas close to home as a building block for social equality. Not everyone has the opportunity to make regular trips to the mountains or go on expensive holidays - but a short walk in the woods is feasible for many people. The fact that even a short stay is relaxing is an important message for prevention and health promotion.
Further studies planned
Further studies will investigate the effects of longer stays, different types of forest and seasonal changes on mental well-being. Multisensory experiences of nature - such as forest scents or bird calls - are also increasingly coming into focus.
The study was supported by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
Publication: Forests
Unlocking the Power of Nature: Insights from a 20-Minute Forest Visit on Well-Being
Haluza D, Kersten P, Lazic T, Steinparzer M, Godbold D.
Forests. 2025; 16(5):792. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16050792