After the scenic hike—but not the walk on the busy roadway—participants reported less anxiety and negative self-focused thinking. Their post-walk brain scans revealed less activity in the subgenual cortex, an area linked to self-criticism, sadness, and rumination. Individuals who suffer from depression show more activity in this part of the brain during “rest” than people who are not depressed. A walk in nature selectively silenced this part of the default state’s stream of consciousness.
