Can a 20-minute forest walk beat scrolling for stress? study puts four activities to the test.
NCT ID NCT07673653
First seen Jun 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 30, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares how four different 20-minute activities—guided meditation, a forest walk (forest bathing), smartphone scrolling, and reading—affect stress and anxiety. One hundred Italian-speaking adults will provide saliva samples and fill out questionnaires before and after the activity to measure changes in cortisol and perceived stress. The goal is to see which experience best lowers short-term stress and whether a person's usual mindfulness level plays a role.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
What this could lead to
If one activity clearly reduces stress more than others, it could guide simple, low-cost recommendations for managing daily stress.
What could go wrong
This is a small, non-randomized study with only one session per activity. Results may not apply to long-term stress or to people with medical conditions.
Disclaimer
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Cascina Cravino Via Bassi 21
Pavia, Italia, 27100, Italy