Nature and Our Mental Health
If you know me, you know I love plants and that one of my frequently suggested regulating resources involves encouraging my clients to walk barefoot in grass. Many of us may assume that being surrounding by nature has a positive impact on our thoughts and feelings, but what does the research say about nature and our mental health?
I strongly relate to the concept of biophilia. Biophilia is the idea that we have an inherent tendency towards other living things, including plants and nature as a whole (Wilson, 1984). I often find myself seeking a natural environment, whether that be bringing as many plants as possible into my home and office or finding myself outside as often as I have the time (and as often as our Texas weather allows it). The connection between self and nature has always felt important to me, both personally and in my professional work.
But let’s get into some of the research! In a review of relevant research, Grinde & Patil (2009) concluded that research does seem to show a positive effect on health and well-being from interacting with nature. They also identify a lack of nature in an environment as a potential discord, defining discord as something having a negative effect. Studies they reviewed even discussed the positive effect of being able to look out a window, especially when seeing water or green landscapes, suggesting that it’s not only being physically in nature that can have a positive effect.
Additional research suggests that natural settings can decrease stress levels, including by changing cortisol levels and in changing measures of demands, worries, and joys (Ewert & Change, 2018). Alongside my love of plants is my enthusiasm for Polyvagal Theory and for taking steps to regulate the nervous system. Connecting the two, research has shown viewing scenes of nature before experiencing a stressor can lead to better recovery of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) after the stressor (Brown, Barton, & Kluwe, 2011). Nature seems to lead to a regulated parasympathetic response as well as a decrease in the sympathetic response. Our nervous system regulation seems to be positively impacted by nature, even by just the viewing of scenes of nature.
Of particular interest to me is the research that points to a relationship between nature exposure and body appreciation. Evidence has indicated that nature exposure can increase mindfulness of the present-moment, resulting in a connectedness to nature and improved body appreciation (Swami et al., 2020). A significant positive association between exposure to nature and body image has been documented in the research (Swami et al., 2020). Additional research shows that embodying experiences with nature help improve connection, or reconnection, with one’s body. It seems that nature can help in focusing on and connect to something outside of self (Jepsen Trangsrud, Borg, Bratland-Sanda & Klevan, 2020).
One specific aspect of nature seems to have additional benefits for us: water. While I tend to gravitate more towards mountains myself, I can certainly appreciate the pull to water. Scenes of water can particularly relate to positive affect and restorativeness (White et al., 2010). Water can have a positive impact on us through seeing or even hearing the sounds associated with water.
If you’re looking for ways to increase a sense of safety in your own environments, consider exploring how you may be able to incorporate nature into your life. This doesn’t have to mean hours spent hiking trails. It could be as simple as:
a new piece of artwork that captures a trail (or your favorite nature image)
framing a photo from a trail, a beach, or another natural environment you’ve visited in the past
changing the background on your phone to something that reflects nature
being sure to look out your windows throughout the day to find something green or notice the birds
use an app to play soundscapes associated with nature, especially with water
When you can, step outside and connect with nature. Revisit my suggestion of standing barefoot in the grass, and feel your feet connecting with the ground beneath you. One of my dogs, Honey, stops in sunny spots on our walks to roll in the warm grass, and I try to follow her lead and take that moment to join her in appreciation of nature.
This is a very brief overview of the extensive research on the impact of nature on our well-being. Check out some of my favorite books that touch on some of the ways nature can be healing for us:
Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness by Dr. Qing Li
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate - Discoveries from a Secret World & The Inner Life of Animals, both by Peter Wohlleben
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
If you want to explore more about your own nervous system, you can use the Contact page to reach out and I’ll connect with you. You can also learn more about how I work with trauma, anxiety, and disordered eating and how I incorporate Brainspotting and the Safe and Sound Protocol into my work at each link.
Brown, D. K., Barton, J. L., & Gladwell, V. F. (2013). Viewing nature scenes positively affects recovery of autonomic function following acute-mental stress. Environmental science & technology, 47(11), 5562–5569. https://doi.org/10.1021/es305019p
Ewert, A., & Chang, Y. (2018). Levels of Nature and Stress Response. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 8(5), 49. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8050049
Grinde, B., & Patil, G. G. (2009). Biophilia: does visual contact with nature impact on health and well-being?. International journal of environmental research and public health, 6(9), 2332–2343. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph6092332
Swami, V., Barron, D., Todd, J., Horne, G., & Furnham, A. (2020). Nature exposure and positive body image: (Re-)examining the mediating roles of connectedness to nature and trait mindfulness. Body image, 34, 201–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.004
Jepsen Trangsrud, L. K., Borg, M., Bratland-Sanda, S., & Klevan, T. (2020). Embodying Experiences with Nature in Everyday Life Recovery for Persons with Eating Disorders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(8), 2784. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082784
White, M., Smith, A., Humphryes, K., Pahl, S., Snelling, D., & Depledge, M. (2010). Blue space: The importance of water for preference, affect, and restorativeness ratings of natural and built scenes. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(4), 482–493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.04.004
Wilson EO. Biophilia. Harvard University Press; Cambridge, MA, USA: 1984.
