The mental health benefits of nature: Spending time outdoors to refresh your mind

Like many others at the height of COVID-19 lockdowns, I was suddenly working remotely, socially distancing from family and friends, and leaving the house only for trips to the grocery store. I craved the ability to get out and escape the overbearing presence screens had in my life.

That‘s when I discovered my love of camping. Weekend camping trips let me take advantage of the gorgeous freshwater springs, trails and nature preserves in my area.

I felt the difference almost immediately — out in the woods I wasn’t scrambling for my phone or thinking about work deadlines. My attention span seemed to lengthen and level out. I relaxed. I came home feeling rested and a little more cheerful, and these trips became a way to manage the stress of the pandemic.

Aside from a nice weekend getaway, what I was actually experiencing were the benefits of nature on my mental health — something researchers and healthcare providers have long noted.

“There are many studies that demonstrate how spending time in nature can improve mood, lower anxiety, and improve cognition and memory,” says Mayo Clinic nurse practitioner Jodie M. Smith, APRN., C.N.P., D.N.P., M.S.N. “Making time for nature is important in order for us to maintain resiliency and promote self-care in a world that demands a lot from us.”

Below, Smith discusses exactly why nature is so good for your mental health.

How does nature benefit mental health?

First and foremost, Smith says that nature can be an effective tool to manage stress.

“Stress stimulates our sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for increasing our blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar in order to react to a stimulus that is causing us stress,” says Smith.

And while not all stress is bad — for example, stress can motivate you to meet a work deadline or keep an eye on your kids at the pool — prolonged or chronic exposure to stress can chip away at your emotional and mental well-being.

But nature may be able to combat stress and its effects. For example, one study showed that exposure to nature can regulate the sympathetic nervous system in as little as five minutes.

“This means that we can get an almost immediate benefit from stepping outside,” says Smith. And doing so on a recurrent basis may prevent cumulative effects from stress, which could mean a lower risk for chronic disease, illness and mortality.”

In addition to alleviating stress, Smith says research indicates that exposure to nature can be an effective coping strategy for those with chronic mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Prolonged immersion in nature and nature-based therapy programs have shown promise as a way of managing PTSD.

Even for those without serious mental health conditions, nature may help you manage emotions like loneliness, irritability and possibly even road rage.

Finally, there is evidence that nature exposure is associated with better cognitive function — like memory, attention, creativity and sleep quality.

But perhaps the best part is that nature makes it easy to soak in these benefits.

“Being present in nature doesn’t ask or require anything of us, so it frees up our mind to think more deeply and clearly about things,” says Smith.