How Spending Time in Nature Can Boost Your Mental Health

Spring, summer, winter or fall, nature calls to you if you’re in need of a mental health boost.

Numerous studies underscore the benefits of spending time outside to improve your state of mind. For example, research published in 2022 in the Journal of Global Health documented an “increasing body of evidence” that supports the positive effects on mental health (as well as physical and cognitive health) of spending time in nature.

Unfortunately, we may not be appreciating nature as much as we would like — or we should. In a survey by the nonprofit organization Mental Health America, 70% of Americans reported that they longed for more time outdoors, “ideally in nature away from their neighborhoods.”

Among the places in nature that might offer mental health benefits are gardens, parks, forests, beaches, nature preserves, wildlife habitats and wetlands sites.

A study published in 2019 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that trekking to wetlands sites “provided a sense of escape from participants’ everyday environments, facilitating relaxation and reductions in stress.” In fact, the researchers suggested that spending time at wetlands sites was “an effective therapy” for people diagnosed with anxiety, depression or both.

Why is nature beneficial to our mental health?

Immersing yourself in nature can improve focus, decrease stress, boost your mood and even reduce the risk of developing a mental health condition, according to Mental Health America.

One positive outcome of spending time in nature is exposure to sunlight.

Mental Health America explains that sunlight promotes the release of serotonin and vitamin D, which are linked to reduced stress, elevated mood and improved focus. The best way to bask in sunlight is, of course, to spend time outdoors.

“Without enough sun, these levels can drop, leading to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges,” the organization says. “Light exposure also has a direct impact on your body’s sleep-wake cycle, and consistent sleep is one of the most important factors in your well-being.”

In addition, according to Mental Health America, outdoor light is associated with lower odds of taking antidepressants and experiencing symptoms of insomnia.

Some types of outdoor light might prove more beneficial than others, though.

A study cited by Pew Charitable Trusts and published in 2015 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that compared with participants who strolled in a high-traffic urban setting, people who walked for 90 minutes in a nature area showed decreased activity in a region of the brain associated with depression.

Views of nature from indoors might perk us up

While being outdoors delivers a host of mental health benefits, leaving your home, school or workplace might not be necessary to provide certain benefits.

As noted by the Pew Charitable Trusts, researchers in Israel surveyed 776 adults in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to grasp the association between nature exposure and positive feelings.

“They found that viewing nature from windows, living near nature, and being outdoors were associated with high levels of self-reported positive emotions. Moreover, the participants able to view nature from their windows reported feeling happier,” according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The good news is that even though view-from-a-distance access to nature might not work for everyone, plenty of other options are available.

“Ultimately, we believe that nature is for everyone and there is no one ‘correct’ or ‘right’ way to engage with natural spaces,” University of Iowa researchers say in a 2023 study published by the Journal of Environmental Psychology. “There are perhaps as many ways of being with nature as there are people on planet Earth, and as many formulations of meaning as there are possibilities within the human imagination.”

How to gain mental health benefits from nature

With the University of Iowa researchers’ stance in mind, here are 14 ways to take advantage of the mental health benefits (and other health benefits) of nature:

1. Take a brisk stroll around your neighborhood park.
2. Cycle along a nearby bike path.
3. Go for a hike on a mountain trail.
4. Marvel at the beauty of trees in a forest.
5. Swim a few laps at an outdoor pool.
6. Paddle a canoe or kayak in a local waterway.
7. Lounge at the beach (wearing sunscreen to protect your skin, of course).
8. Spend time with your kids at an outdoor playground.
9. Visit a nature preserve.
10. Tend to your backyard garden.
11. Read a book while relaxing under a tree.
12. Sign up for golf lessons.
13. Walk your dog.
14. Watch birds and other wildlife at a park or habitat.

The University of California, Davis suggests that you may not even need to spend much time outdoors or move around a lot to benefit from being in nature. The university offers this simple prescription for potential mental health benefits: Stand outside for five minutes with the sun on your face and take off your shoes to feel the grass between your toes.