Spending time in nature has always been a great way to find your Zen. But new research suggests it may be an even more powerful way to calm the mind than previously thought. According to a review of more than 100 studies, stepping outside into a green space — even for just a few minutes — can dramatically shift your brain activity into a more calm, balanced state.
In a comprehensive review published in Neurosciences & Biobehavioral Reviews, researchers at McGill University and Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile analyzed more than a decade of studies using EEG, fMRI, and other brain scanning methods. That analysis revealed compelling and consistent patterns showing exposure to nature quiets activity in the brain’s stress center.
Mar Estarellas, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University and co-author of the study, says: “We know intuitively that nature feels good, but neuroscience gives us a language that lends credibility to shaping decisions about how nature is considered in health policy and the spaces we build.”
Four Signs Your Brain is Responding to Nature
According to the research, there are four ways the brain responds when we spend more time in the natural world:
- More efficient sensory processing, because natural scenes are easier for the brain to interpret.
- A reduced stress response leading to relaxation and slower heart rates.
- Restored attention, helping to ease mental fatigue and improve concentration.
- Reduced rumination, which may allow a deeper, more calming connection to something bigger than yourself.
Nature Helps Quiet the Mind
It appears that nature has a way to tame your worry and shifts your brain waves into calmer rhythms. In one study, participants who took a 90-minute walk in nature showed a reduction in rumination compared to those who walked in dense urban settings. Other EEG studies consistently show increases in the brain waves associated with relaxed alertness and meditative states during exposure to nature. At the same time, brain waves associated with stress and cognitive overload tend to decrease. These changes could occur in a little as 10 minutes.
Long-Term Brain Benefits
Large-scale MRI studies have also shown that people who live near greener, more natural environments may exhibit differences in the brain structure associated with stronger attention and better memory. Among children, greater exposure to green spaces has been linked with improved cognitive performance and fewer attention-related difficulties.
Researchers contend that repeated restorative experiences in nature can even build up over time, potentially leading to greater resilience and brain health over an entire lifespan.
There have been studies to suggest measurable benefits to artificial nature experiences, such as videos and images. However, real-world, multisensory experiences tend to provide better results.
How to Add Green into Your Routine
While most of us probably don’t live in the wilderness, there are still simple ways to welcome more nature into your life:
- Take a short 10-to-15-minute walk in a local park, garden, or tree-lined street to bring more calm.
- If you have time, longer outdoor exposures, such as a hike, may provide stronger restorative effects.
- Look for places that will engage your senses, such as flowing water, vivid and varied greenery, or lots of singing birds.
- If you can’t make it outdoors, house plants and even images or videos can help.
The next time you are feeling overwhelmed by the chaos and busyness of life, remember that one of the most powerful reset buttons for your brain may be waiting just outside your front door.
