Nature as Medicine: Getting Your Daily Dose
Nature is all around us, including in busy towns and cities where trees line the streets, wildflowers push through cracks in the concrete, and foxes and badgers move stealthily through neighbourhoods at dusk. When we take the time to notice, these small moments can bring us delight and awe.
But spending time in nature isn’t simply a pleasant pastime. Research is showing increasingly that spending time outdoors has profound benefits for our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Many people also experience nature as a source of meaning, belonging and spiritual nourishment.
From “fight-or-flight” to “rest-and-digest”
Our autonomic nervous system (the part of our nervous system that controls the body’s internal state) has two main branches:
The sympathetic system which mobilises us: stress, alertness and cortisol release
The parasympathetic system which calms us: digestion, recovery and repair
Many aspects of modern life place sustained demands on our attention and nervous system in ways that previous generations didn’t experience. We are constantly bombarded by noise, notifications, ads, artificial light, crowded schedules and endless streams of information, opinions and data. Our nervous system can struggle to distinguish between these constant demands placed on our attention and genuine threats, leaving us in an ongoing state of alarm. We remain hypervigilant, ready to meet and protect against (or ‘fight’) the challenge or move away from it (‘flight’); our heart rate and blood pressure remain raised, our breathing shallow and our mind hyper alert and focussed on staying safe. We feel constantly ‘on’ – distracted, overstimulated and exhausted.
Over time, the relentless stimulation can impact our health. Chronic stress has been linked to a range of physical and mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, cardiovascular disease, weakened immune function and cognitive decline. When the body is in a constant heightened state of alertness, it has fewer opportunities to recover and repair itself. The cumulative effect is not just temporary fatigue or discomfort, but a gradual erosion of resilience, vitality and overall wellbeing. In a world that rarely slows down, it’s vital that we protect our health by making space for rest, connection and restoration.
This is where nature can come into its own: it’s widely available, it doesn’t require specialist knowledge and, what’s more, it’s free!
Physical benefits of nature – slowing down, sensory soothing, chemical dosing
Spending even a short time in nature can benefit our physical wellbeing. Unlike the fast pace of modern life, natural environments tend to be calmer and less demanding of our attention. As we immerse ourselves in the sights, sounds and rhythms of the natural world, our nervous system can begin to relax. Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline decrease, while breathing, heart rate and blood pressure often slow. This effect may be enhanced by phytoncides - natural compounds released by trees and plants. Research suggests these may support stress regulation and immune function.
Nature engages our senses in a gentle, restorative way. Birdsong, the scent of damp earth, and the colours, textures and perspectives of natural landscapes draw our attention into the present moment without overwhelming it. Exposure to natural light also supports healthy sleep, mood and circadian rhythms, particularly when we spend time outdoors early in the day. In addition, regularly shifting our gaze between near and distant objects can help reduce eye strain.
Walking outdoors is a simple, accessible form of exercise that supports cardiovascular health and is easy on the joints. Some researchers also suggest that the rhythmic movement involved in walking may help reduce stress and support emotional processing, although the mechanisms are still being explored.
Emotional benefits – reflective space, relationships and sense of belonging
Nature provides us with multiple opportunities to boost our emotional health. When we slow down and take time to immerse ourselves in our surroundings with no specific destination or goals, we can enter our own "inner sanctuary" where our thoughts, feelings and experiences can be processed. Some of this reflection happens consciously, while some insights and changes in perspective emerge naturally and unexpectedly as we move through the landscape. What’s more, it is often in this state that our creative brain is awakened and we may find answers to questions and dilemmas that we’ve been struggling with for days popping into our mind.
At the same time, being outside with others can strengthen our relationship with them. Whether we are spending time with our children, partner, friends or even our dog, we are sharing focused, uninterrupted and often enjoyable and meaningful time together. Both we and our companions benefit from this deeper connection.
Mental benefits - improving attention, memory and focus
Research suggests that spending time in nature can improve concentration, memory and focus. Unlike our digital devices, which are designed to excite and stimulate our brains and keep us logged on often for hours, nature allows the mind to rest, recover and reset. Psychologists describe this as Attention Restoration Theory. They suggest that natural environments engage our attention gently, allowing the brain's directed attention systems to recover from mental fatigue.
I expect we may all have experienced how our brains can quickly become energy sapping it can be in a room without a window. Most of us instinctively prefer views of trees, water and green spaces to blank walls or concrete landscapes. The gentle organic lines, depth of perspective and vibrant colouring found in nature can help soothe an overstimulated nervous system much more effectively than the straight lines, monotone colouring and limited perspective offered by indoor environments. Once we become more regulated, our pre-frontal cortex – the part of our brain that is responsible for organising, planning and solving difficult problems gets into gear – and we become much more effective in getting things done.
Reciprocity with nature - meaning and connection
Many people feel that nature offers something beyond measurable health outcomes. For them, time in the natural world can evoke wonder, gratitude and a sense of belonging that is difficult to quantify but deeply meaningful.
Most humans seek a sense of safe belonging. Our homes often, although not always, represent that place where we can feel protected and at ease. Many people share that they achieve this sense of being "at home" when they are in nature. This isn’t surprising when you know that the Greek word oikos, which forms part of the root of the word ecology, means "home" or "habitat". Spending time outdoors can help restore our relationship with our natural home and reconnect us with an ancient sense of belonging, both of which we may feel we lost a long time ago.
Ecopsychology is a mental health approach that explores the relationship between the human psyche and nature as the basis for reciprocal well-being. This growing recognition of our relationship with the natural world extends beyond psychology and into questions of ethics and responsibility.
Many people report that spending time in nature strengthens their sense of connection to other people and the wider living world. What’s more, studies have shown that our compassion towards ourselves, other people and the natural environment also increases. The more we appreciate and value the living world around us, the more likely we are to care for and protect it, a vital consideration at a time when our environment faces significant challenges. Jane Goodall, the celebrated primatologist who died earlier this year, spent her life reminding us that humans are not separate from nature but part of it, and therefore share responsibility for its care.
Nature and you
How would you describe your relationship with nature?
1. Physical Connection
This is the simple act of being present in a natural environment which allows you to notice the colours of flowers, the scent of the earth, the warmth of sunlight on your skin or the sound of birdsong. Here your attention is given to the sensory experience and the immediate ‘in the moment’ benefits of being outdoors.
Ask yourself:
What do you notice most in nature?
Which natural environments do you feel drawn towards?
2. Emotional Connection
Here, nature becomes more than something we observe, it becomes a relationship. You may notice how particular landscapes affect your mood or how being outdoors helps you process emotions. There is a sense of both giving and receiving within this relationship. Giving may take the form of gratitude, being inspired to lower your impact on the planet, or writing and sharing a poem or song with the land and perhaps other people to let them know how you care about nature.
Ask yourself:
How does nature make you feel emotionally?
What do you bring to your ‘meetings’ with the natural world?
What do you receive in return?
3. Mystical or Spiritual Connection
For some people, nature offers a profound sense of connection where the boundaries between the self and the wider living world become less distinct. This can feel like a reciprocal exchange of energy, wisdom or presence. It is similar to the state of flow where we lose ourselves to our immediate environment with a blurring at the edges of time, space and being. Not everyone experiences this level in nature, nor does everyone wish to. However, for those who do, it can be deeply nourishing and transformative.
Does spending time in nature deepen your sense of connection to something larger than yourself? If so, how?
Have you ever experienced a moment in nature that felt sacred, profound or spiritually significant? What was it like?
Final Thoughts
Even if you can’t get outside as often as you would like, research shows that simply viewing images of nature can provide some of the benefits detailed above. While it is not a complete substitute for being outdoors, it may offer us a moment of calm and restoration in a world that’s often dominated by artificial environments and constant demands.
Nature is always there, waiting for us to notice it. Whether you’re able to get out into the fields, spend time by a river, visit a local park – or simply observe the wild plants growing through the pavement, every connection matters. What will you do in the next few days to get your dose of nature medicine?