QUICK QUESTION: When was the last time you sat—like, really sat—in a park? There’s a good chance it’s been a while. Only 22% of Americans spend time in nature at least once a week, according to a 2019 survey conducted by APM Research Lab.
Not awesome. Decades of robust studies have shown that fresh air and greenery and the great outdoors profoundly benefit pretty much every measure of our well-being. Nature is so good for us, it’s actually crucial, says Peter James, ScD, associate professor of environmental health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and associate professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School. “We have to think about nature as an essential need for us as human beings,” he adds. The reason has to do with our hardwiring, says Kim Meidenbauer, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Washington State University. “A lot of theories say that most of our evolutionary history took place in natural environments,” she explains. “These spaces fulfill a fundamental need.”
How does the earth do our bodies good? Let us count the ways. In the short term, walking in a green space can turn your mood around. A 2022 review and meta-analysis of seven studies from seven countries in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that people with depression or anxiety always experienced fewer symptoms after a walk in nature—even if their stroll was as short as 15 minutes. In the longer term, living in an area with more green space is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a longer life span, according to a 2021 paper published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
But wait, there’s more! Being outdoors sharpens working memory, which we rely on to remember things like our bank password and where we parked. Our executive function— which helps us plan, think critically, focus, and control emotions—improves as well. An often cited study from 2008 included an experiment in which 38 people took a cognitive test before and after a 50-to-55-minute walk in an arboretum. Sure enough, test scores were higher after the stroll. Mother Nature can also help lower stress levels. Think about the last time you got a massage or facial. “When you go to a spa, you hear nature sounds. They’re calming for us,” James says. Rigorous studies show that measures of stress, like blood pressure and heart rate variability, go down after exposure to nature. That’s important because chronic stress is linked to heart attacks, strokes, depression, and other serious conditions.
Even our social lives benefit from vitamin N (see what we did there?). People spend more time connecting with one another after their neighborhoods receive more trees or better parks, according to Michelle Kondo, PhD, research social scientist for the USDA Forest Service. “Trees and parks encourage us to get together and help us build positive relationships with our neighbors,” she explains. Reducing isolation is a proven way to boost mental and physical health.
And because relationships go both ways, a true connection to nature includes giving back to it, which in turn helps you (the most beneficial feedback loop of all time!). “Humans need to recognize our place in the world as not separate and distinct from nature, but a part of it,” says José González, founder of Latino Outdoors and cofounder of the Outdoorist Oath, two nonprofits dedicated to inclusivity in outdoor recreation. The more we recognize how much we rely on nature, the more motivated we may be to protect it—to everyone’s benefit.
How We Can Get More from Nature
Experts say thinking small can deliver big-time. A few ideas:
SNEAK IT IN DAILY
Make nature a regular part of your life, Meidenbauer says. “The more, the better.” Look for ways to incorporate the outdoors into every day. That could mean going for a walk around the block, serving dinner in the backyard, or reading a book on the porch instead of your couch.
FAKE AN ESCAPE
On days when you barely have the energy to wash your face, or when the weather is less than ideal, take a few minutes to look at photos of mountains, lush green forests, or any landscape that speaks to you. People said they felt happier, more content, and more enthusiastic right after looking at nature photos for only three minutes, according to a 2014 study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. (This may motivate you to meditate, exercise, or do something else that lifts your mood.) Before bed, fire up some nature sounds on an app. Listening to ocean waves or chirping birds helps reduce heart rate, according to 2023 research in the journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening.
“Humans need to recognize our place in the world as not separate and distinct from nature, but a part of it.”
PICK UP A PLANT OR TWO
Brightening up your home or office with a few leafy friends may help increase your attention and lower blood pressure. Even just one indoor plant can aid in relaxation and cognition, according to a 2022 analysis of 16 studies published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Consider something fragrant—like geraniums, lavender, or rosemary—if you aren’t sensitive to scents. The aromas could help you feel even more connected to nature, found one 2023 study. Oh, and look outside your window too: “There’s research that recovery times for hospital patients were shorter when they had a window box or view of nature in their rooms, compared with patients who had a view of a brick wall,” Kondo says.
DITCH YOUR PHONE FOR A BIT
You’ll get more out of any experience if you make an effort to, well, experience it, says Ellen Horowitz, a certified nature and forest therapy guide who leads custom forest-bathing walks in northwestern Montana. “Our nervous systems were never designed for constant bombardment,” she says. One study showed that using a laptop in green spaces counteracted any executive function benefits, so when you’re taking in some green, put your phone away! Find a comfortable spot to sit—it can be in your backyard, a city park, or a wilder setting—and intentionally observe your surroundings for as long as you can. Try to use all your senses: Hold some dirt in your hands. Listen to the leaves fluttering in the breeze. Watch a beetle crawl along a stick. “As silly as it might sound, I invite people to taste the air as if they were sipping it through a little straw,” Horowitz says.
FLORIAN STERN/GALLERY STOCK
How Nature Can Get More from Us
When we help Mother Nature, we help ourselves in the immediate term and the long run. Here, some ways to give back.
TEND A GARDEN
Planting your own patch of greenery and flowers helps reduce carbon emissions in our atmosphere, provides homes for countless critters, and pays off in delicious produce or beautiful blooms. (Plus, studies show that touching soil may keep your gut bacteria diverse, which helps improve health and increase serotonin production.) Choose what you grow thoughtfully, González advises. “Think about using native plants,” he suggests.
“They aren’t just ornamental but help the ecological community thrive.” Among their many benefits, native plants are adapted to your local climate and rainfall patterns, meaning they often require less supplemental watering. And they’re ideal food for neighborhood bees and butterflies, which support our food supply through pollination. Local nurseries and native plant societies (find your state’s society at ahsgardening.org) are excellent resources for learning which species are best in your neck of the woods. (Get even more gardening tips on page 78.) No garden space at home? Join a community plot. Find options near you at communitygarden.org.
“Volunteer efforts make up a majority of day-to-day maintenance and projects that may not get done otherwise.”
DONATE YOUR TIME
Public lands like national parks and neighborhood recreation centers are vital for human health, yet they’re chronically underfunded, says Kelly Burnett, program director of conservation for the National Environmental Education Foundation, an organization advocating to make nature accessible to all. You can help preserve our earth by rolling up your sleeves and lending your green thumb. “Volunteer efforts make up a majority of day-today maintenance and projects that may not get done otherwise,” Burnett says, “like habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and tree planting.” Such projects clean the air, help sustain local agriculture, and provide homes for wildlife. In return, you’ll get your fill of nature and connect with others in your community, which can help foster a sense of belonging. Visit volunteer.gov for opportunities with federal agencies like national parks, or check in with your town’s parks and recreation department for close-to-home projects.
BECOME A CHAMPION FOR GREEN SPACE
Not everyone has equal access to parks and other green spaces in their neighborhoods. We can help nature (and people!) by making more of them: “Advocate for your community, and every community, to have access to nature in everyday life,” James says. Showing support can be as simple as donating to an organization like the Trust for Public Land (tpl.org), a nonprofit that works with cities to create parks and protect public lands. If you have the time and desire to do more, learn how to improve park access in your city by visiting 10minutewalk.org. Operated by the Trust for Public Land, the website outlines the organization’s goal of creating a park within a 10-minute walk of every home, along with information on how anyone can further the cause. For other advocacy opportunities, contact your local parks and recreation department, which should have info on your community’s specific needs. When the call is finished, you know what to do: Put your phone down and go for a walk.
KELLY KNOX/STOCKSY