The Benefits of Spending Time in Nature on Mental Health

In study after study, researchers are finding that exposure to nature increases people's well-being using almost every scale, including cognitive, emotional, and mental health. While some of the very best effects can be found in remote and diverse wilderness spots, much smaller and more accessible doses create improvements as well, including a few minutes in a green space in an urban center and even looking at photos of nature.

The majority of research on the beneficial effects of nature has focused on so-called green spaces, those areas populated by trees and plants, but more recently, scientists have also begun to examine the effects of blue spaces and bodies of water, including the ocean. These have similar effects and may even be more beneficial than green spaces.

Another line of inquiry for researchers is how much time appears to bring about benefits. Knowing this could allow medical professionals to "prescribe" a certain amount of time in a natural environment. One study found that among 20,000 participants in the United Kingdom, beneficial effects became significant after about 120 minutes per week in nature, whether that time was taken all together or in smaller increments.

Beyond simple exposure, research finds that it may be important to foster a sense of connection with the natural world. Those who feel such a connection tend to be happier, have a stronger sense of connection in general, and feel as though their life has more purpose.

Even looking at photos of nature can boost a person's mood and make them more cooperative with others. Researchers experimented with showing groups a picture of either a green or concrete roof and found that the former had fewer mistakes on a task than those who looked at the concrete roof.

Additional research is extensive and has found that the differences are not correlated to other factors, such as participants who are in a better mood having better results.

Whether the positive human response to a natural environment is hardwired from early evolution or it happens for some other reason, in an age where people are increasingly indoors and on screens, making an effort to connect with nature may be more and more important.