Overview
- NTNU researchers analyzed 2,500 interviews from the Mjøsa Study to examine how outdoor activities relate to loneliness.
- The study finds lower loneliness when people move slowly to notice sounds, light, horizons, or leaf patterns.
- Exercise that focuses on performance, such as jogging, did not show the same benefit as casual, place‑oriented outings.
- Respondents split into 6% very lonely, 53% somewhat lonely, and 41% not lonely, while Statistics Norway estimates 15% face severe loneliness.
- The authors call for easier access to natural areas plus guidance for solo mindful visits, citing NIH warnings that loneliness raises risks for heart disease, depression, and dementia.