Effects of green exercise and walking in natural environments on physiological and cognitive health

Background and Study Aim. Exposure to natural environments is an important factor in physical and mental well-being. However, the specific effects of outdoor walking on cognitive and physiological health still require the search for effective solutions. This study aims to examine the effects of walking exercises in natural environments on the physiological and cognitive health of university students. Materials and Methods. Thirty-two university students leading a sedentary lifestyle participated in the study. The experimental group (age = 21.25 ± 1.61) walked in nature twice a week for eight weeks, covering distances ranging from 6 to 10 km. The control group (age = 22.00 ± 1.54) maintained their sedentary lifestyle during this period. Reaction time, accuracy rate, memory capacity, cognitive performance, resting heart rate (RHR), and oxygen saturation level (SpO₂) were measured before and after the study. These measurements were recorded using OpenSesame software and analyzed using the visual memory paradigm. Data were processed using SPSS 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results. Although reaction time increased by 5.15% in the experimental group, no significant difference was found. Accuracy rate (8.42%), memory capacity (7.52%), cognitive performance (9.60%), oxygen saturation (1.03%), and RHR (4.26%) improved significantly. Pre-test and post-test comparisons revealed significant differences (p < 0.001) in these variables. In the control group, a statistically significant difference was observed only in RHR, while no significant changes were found in other variables. Intergroup comparisons showed no significant difference in reaction time; however, accuracy rate, memory capacity, cognitive performance, oxygen saturation, and RHR demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.001). Conclusions. Regular walking in natural environments positively affects cognitive and physiological health. It also improves RHR and oxygen saturation while enhancing cognitive performance.