We all have days when getting motivated feels like climbing a mountain. Yet, staying physically healthy and emotionally grounded can begin with something as simple as taking one step out the door.
That single step can lead to a daily, nature-based routine in which your body's positive memory takes over. Even when your enthusiasm lags, that memory assures you: You will feel better once you are outside.
The good news? Science strongly agrees. Being in nature isn't just a pleasant pastime — it’s a powerful, proven way to enhance your health and well-being.
Here are five transformative ways spending time in the great outdoors benefits your mind and body:
1. Nurture your focus with "attention restoration"
The demands of modern life constantly drain our directed attention — i.e. the mental capacity we use for typical daily tasks like focusing on an email or the stress of a daily commute. When this capacity is fatigued, we become irritable, struggle to concentrate and feel mentally burned out.
Michigan scientists Rachel and Steve Kaplan call this Attention Restoration Theory. Natural settings allow our attention to gently rest, thanks to "soft fascination." This includes things like:
- A bird fluttering to a feeder
- A butterfly sipping nectar
- The sound of the wind in the trees
- Water flowing in a stream
These elements hold just enough interest to keep us engaged while allowing our hardworking, directed attention to rest and restore. Allowing your brain to rest and reboot this way dramatically increases your capacity to address daily stress.
Observing scenes from nature leads to "soft fascination," which allows our brains to rest and restore. Photo by Jill Leenay
2. Boost benefits with "green exercise"
Exercise is great, but exercising outside in nature is even better!
The Exeter scientists Jo Barton and Jules Pretty call this Green Exercise. Their research suggests that when you move your body in a green space, the benefits go far beyond the physical:
- Mental clarity: The natural environment helps clear the mind and sharpen focus
- Cleaner air: You benefit from fresh, cleaner air compared to crowded indoor spaces
- Social connection and enjoyment: Exercising outdoors often addresses the social aspect we naturally crave, increasing enjoyment and helping you stick to a positive behavior change
It's the ultimate mind-body workout!
3. Find solitude and quiet to decrease stress
We live in a loud, chaotic world. Did you know that pervasive sound pollution is associated with increased stress and other health issues?
Stepping into nature provides essential "cognitive space." The quiet of the woods, mostly free of human-made structures and noise, allows your mind to settle. Nature immersion lets you disconnect from technology and the incessant chatter of daily life, offering a profound opportunity for deep stress relief.
4. Strengthen your immune system
Need a natural immune booster? The forest holds the key.
Research in Japan, particularly studies on "Shinrin-yoku" (forest bathing), has found that spending time in forests dramatically increases the number and activity of Natural Killer (NK) cells in the body. These NK cells are a vital part of your immune system's defense against disease, literally strengthening your body simply by being surrounded by trees.
Try Shinrin-yoku at the Arboretum this season to connect with nature and increase your wellbeing.
5. Stimulate your brain and unlock creativity
Have you ever felt a surge of inspiration or a sense of awe when looking at a breathtaking natural scene?
That sense that your brain "feels good" when you are outside is real. Research suggests that time in nature can bring a sense of awe and inspire creative energy. Furthermore, data shows that being in nature can increase prosocial behavior — meaning it encourages kindness, helpfulness and connecting positively with others.
The next time you’re outside — whether walking a park trail, sitting by a lake or tending your garden — take a moment to look, listen, relax and take in the nature all around you.
You deserve this daily dose of restoration and wellbeing.
Unlock your creative energy, try disconnecting from technology, spark a sense of wonder and discover your own connection to nature by joining our Nature-Based Therapeutic Services staff for a seasonal AWE Walk or other health and wellbeing class at the Arboretum this summer.
Dr. Jean Larson is the manager of Nature-Based Therapeutic Services at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and is faculty lead of the Nature-Based Therapeutic Studies at the Earl Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing of the University of Minnesota.
Cover photo by Mark MacLennan