The Neuroscience Behind Walking Therapy’s Power Against Stress and Anxiety
- John Burnett
- Nov 14
- 3 min read
Stress and anxiety are becoming part of everyday life for many of us, busy schedules, constant digital noise and the pressure to keep going even when our minds are exhausted. But what if the most effective tool for calming the nervous system has been with us all along?
When we step outside and begin to walk, something remarkable happens, our breathing deepens, our shoulders drop and the world suddenly feels a little bigger than whatever is weighing on our minds. Nature starts offering a kind of spaciousness we rarely experience indoors.
Autumn, winter, spring or summer, each season offers its own therapeutic energy.
The Science: Why Walking Reduces Stress and Anxiety
1. Walking Regulates the Nervous System
When stress builds, your body moves into fight-or-flight mode. Gentle, rhythmic walking naturally activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the part responsible for calm, safety and grounding. This shift lowers heart rate, reduces cortisol and encourages a deeper sense of clarity.
2. Bilateral Movement Helps the Brain Process Emotions
Walking involves left-right rhythmic movement. Neuroscience shows that this bilateral stimulation helps the brain “untangle” emotional overwhelm, similar to how EMDR works. It can soften intrusive thoughts, reduce mental spirals and make overwhelming feelings easier to manage.
3. Nature Physically Changes the Brain
Time in nature has been shown to reduce activity in the amygdala (the brain’s fear centre), increase serotonin levels and improve cognitive function and emotional resilience. Spending time in nature is also known to slow overthinking and ruminationWalking therapy blends the power of movement with the grounding presence of nature, giving you space to breathe, process, reflect and reset. At Stone in My Boot our nature-based sessions in the Lake District are designed to help you do just that.
If you are new to walking therapy, you can learn more about how it works here on our What is walking therapy section.
4. Movement Helps Thoughts Flow More Easily
Sitting in a chair and talking can feel intense or intimidating. But when you walk side-by-side with a therapist, conversation becomes easier and more natural. Sessions at our walking therapy retreat are conducted by BACP registered therapists with over decades of experience.
The body moves, the mind follows, helping you process thoughts that feel stuck when you are still. Just 20 minutes outdoors can shift your emotional state and thought process, something we see often during our sessions in the Lake District.
5. Nature Creates Space for Clarity
When you are overwhelmed, your inner world can feel loud. Stepping outdoors creates room for your thoughts to settle. Clients often tell us that walking helps them to slow down racing thoughts and hear themselves think more clearly. They also say spending time outdoors allows them to break mental spirals and feel more connected and grounded.
How We Use Walking Therapy at Stone in My Boot
At Stone in My Boot our approach is rooted in safety, compassion and the natural rhythms of the Lake District landscape. Whether you are dealing with stress, anxiety, burnout or emotional overload, walking therapy offers a gentle and powerful path forward.
Explore the full range of sessions and guided Walking Therapy Retreats to find a nature-based retreat that best suits your wellbeing needs.
If you are wondering why the Lake District is the perfect setting? The Lake District provides one of the most calming and emotionally restorative environments in the UK. Its quiet valleys, open water, vast skies and soft rolling hills encourage a slower pace, the ideal backdrop for reflection and release. Walking here isn’t just movement, it is grounding, healing and connecting you with nature and with yourself.
If you are also thinking, is Walking Therapy right for me? Here’s a small list of things walking therapy can support you if you eliminate.
Stress and overwhelm
Anxiety
Burnout
Persistent worrying
Overthinking
Feeling “stuck” emotionally
Low mood
Decision fatigue
Life transitions
Creative blocks
Walking therapy is a mindful practice that is gentle, accessible and works beautifully alongside other therapeutic approaches. If your mind feels full, stressed or scattered, walking therapy may be exactly what you need to create space, breathe deeply and find clarity again. Whether you are navigating everyday stress, emotional overwhelm or simply seeking a moment of calm, walking therapy provides a gentle, accessible way to reset your mind and reconnect with yourself (and whoever you feel like you lost touch but aches to reconnect, maybe mentally and emotionally).
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