How to Connect With Nature in Winter (& Why You’d Want To)

Miss getting those amazing health benefits of spending time in nature when snow blankets the landscape? While connecting with the natural world in the warmer months can be as easy as stepping out your door, for people living in northern latitudes, connecting with nature in winter can prove much more challenging.

But it’s worth the effort. It turns out that frozen winter landscapes can have beneficial effects on health comparable to those we enjoy when it’s warm. Find out why not to let winter give you nature deficit disorder or increase the health risks of spending too much time indoors.

Here’s how to tap into the benefits of nature even when it’s cold and snowy.

Benefits of nature in wintertime

You’ve no doubt heard that science has backed up what many of us have long intuited: Spending time in natural landscapes benefits our health in numerous ways. From lowering stress hormones and improving mood to getting vital sunlight exposure, connecting with the natural world turns out to be pretty darn important for health.

But in winter, most of us living in colder climates retreat into our cozy homes, and our contact with nature hibernates until everything thaws out in spring. While it can seem like there’s no nature to enjoy when all the plants have gone to sleep for the season, those stark winter landscapes are still natural and offer many of the same benefits as landscapes filled with growing things.

Recognizing that little attention has been paid to the possible benefits of contact with nature during the winter months, researchers looked at the effects of spending time outdoors in winter landscapes rather than in lush green ones, as most research on the benefits of nature have done. Researchers compared the cortisol levels and self-reported stress in subjects when they walked outside in winter to when they used a treadmill in a windowless room. While exercise on its own reduces levels of cortisol, subjects had lower levels when they walked outside rather than indoors. They also reported greater reductions in feelings of stress after outdoor walks.

One small Finnish study found subjects had more positive emotional states when they went into a snow-covered forest compared to walking in a landscape dominated by buildings. Another study of young adult subjects in Poland found that participants’ moods improved after exposure to the winter forest, while tension, anxiety, and anger increased when they walked in a street environment.

A small study conducted in Norway compared subjects’ reported levels of vitality and psychological detachment from work when walking in winter and summer. They found “no significant differences in these specific wellbeing indicators between winter and summer conditions.” A 2024 review of 21 studies on the health effects of winter landscapes affirmed that the benefits of contact with nature in winter were similar to those in warmer months. Subjects in these studies sent to experience natural winter landscapes reported better mood, lowered levels of stress and anxiety, and greater feelings of vitality compared to those placed in built environments.

If you want to give yourself a mood boost and get the benefits of sun exposure throughout the colder months, try some of these ways to make time outdoors in the winter work for you.

How to engage with nature when it’s cold out

While you may not spend all day hanging out in your garden or have an hours-long forest bath in January, some brisk winter walks or a cross country skiing session will get you outside to soak in some nature.

How to get outdoors even when it’s below freezing

Dress for the cold

You’ve probably heard the well-worn Scandinavian saying, “There’s no bad weather, only bad clothing.” Translation: Bundle up and get out there. Dressed in the right gear, you’ll mind the cold so much less. If you’re not well-versed in cold-weather clothing, understand that not all fabrics are created equal. For extreme temperatures, cotton just isn’t going to cut it. You’ll need to add some layers of wool or polar fleece, including warm gloves, hat, and socks.

Set reasonable expectations

A little time outside is far better than none, so if all you can manage is a 10-minute walk, give yourself a pat on the back and call it a day. That exposure to sunlight and natural landscapes will still have a beneficial impact on your wellbeing, especially if you live somewhere with long, severe winters. Or schedule several 5-minute exercise “snacks” throughout your day, and enjoy the energy boost from the fresh air, sunlight, and exercise.

Consider a winter sport

Cross country skiing is not only an amazing workout, it sets you up to immerse yourself in beautiful winter landscapes. Snow shoeing and snowboarding are other fun ways to spend time outdoors and get the benefits of exercising in nature.

Cultivate a winter mindset

Research into how people who live in extreme winter environments manage to thrive despite the dark and cold calls out the ways people in northern climates have adapted to winter. Experts recommend following their lead: Seek out the enjoyable aspects of winter, from holiday celebrations to hygge practices. Go all in on cozy, and invite friends to join you.

Embrace darkness and recognize that winter is a time to slow down. We’re programmed to sleep more and do less when there’s less light. When you return from a chilly winter walk, relish a warming drink or enjoy a hot bath.

A 2022 study found that participants asked to pay attention to the nature they encountered in winter walks demonstrated more positive emotions than those asked to attend to the built environment. To maximize the benefits of whatever time you do get outside, choose areas with trees or bodies of water if possible, go early in the day, and try to notice the natural features around you.

Bring nature indoors

Growing houseplants or overwintering herbs from your garden can let you engage with growing things even when nothing can grow outside. Or consider collecting natural objects to enjoy indoors, like acorns, dried flowers, and pine cones. You can make a DIY potpourri or homemade scented pine cones.

Try harvesting pine or spruce needles to make a tasty foraged tea. You can even upcycle your Christmas tree if it’s an edible type that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals. Just be sure to consult a reliable foraging guide so you can positively identify the tree you’re gathering from as an edible type, since some evergreens are poisonous.

Of course, on those days when you just can’t face getting out – freezing rain and icy sidewalks can stymie even the heartiest folk – try gazing at the wintry landscape through your window and taking a minute to enjoy its beauty and appreciate your cozy nest. Or try some soothing yoga to combat the winter blahs.

Whenever you can, though, bundle up and head outside to get yourself a beneficial dose of nature, even in the dead of winter.