Resonate Project: Treating Stress with Nature Walks

25.02.2025

Resonate is a European project funded by the Horizon Europe research and innovation program that aims to promote interventions and therapies in nature for the entire population, with 9 scientific case studies in 8 different countries.

For Italy, the project involves the University of Padua with the Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture, and Forestry, the Department of General Psychology, and the university spin-off Etifor Srl.

This project proposes a new approach to the public, combining short, slow-paced walks in the parks of Padua with relaxation techniques in 50-minute sessions. These sessions alternate different moments of reflection and sharing at the end of the experience, also aiming to raise awareness of healthier lifestyles in green environments.

Angelica Moè, head of the Resonate case study in Padua and professor at the Department of General Psychology, says: “Stress, tension, fatigue: when pressure levels rise and the mind finds no peace, where do we go to find balance and serenity? Scientific evidence confirms that some places are more regenerative than others, capable of quickly bringing us back to a state of calm, concentration, and energy. These environments, often immersed in nature and characterized by green and blue elements, promote psychophysical well-being more sustainably than other contexts. Therefore, it is essential to combine walking with relaxation techniques.”

The Padua case study is aimed at individuals aged 40 to 70 who show signs of psychophysical stress, such as high blood pressure or alterations in blood sugar or cholesterol levels. These conditions, if persistent over time, can lead to significant health problems, particularly affecting the cardiovascular system.

The goal is to scientifically evaluate the benefits of this practice on body and mind, providing effective tools for stress management and the improvement of health and lifestyles in general. The environmental characteristics where the activities take place, such as vegetation state, weather conditions, air quality, and solar radiation, will also be monitored.

The program, starting in early March 2025, includes an initial screening to evaluate psychophysiological parameters, followed by three weekly outings for five weeks. During these outings, participants will initially be taught multisensory ways of connecting with the natural spaces and elements in some green areas of Padua, which they can later adopt independently in other city parks of their choice.

The first three outings of the first week will be entirely guided by researchers and interns from the DPG, TESAF, and Etifor departments. Subsequent outings can be done independently in any desired park, with the option of a guided session once a week. To assist with independent outings, participants will be provided with maps of the green areas most suitable for this activity and a brief guide with simple instructions to follow.

At the end, a final screening will evaluate the health and well-being benefits. The screenings will take place at the Department of Psychology laboratories on Via Venezia 8, while the green outings are planned in the main parks of Padua.

To participate or for more information, contact: resonate.dpg@unipd.it - tel. 338 2069723.