From quiet walks beneath towering trees to moments of stillness beside a rambunctious river, many of us instinctively feel better after spending time in nature. But is that feeling simply anecdotal—or is there real science behind it? A comprehensive review of research suggests it's much more than a coincidence.
A few years ago, I found myself doing something I'd never planned. I left my phone in my room while visiting a national park.
Not because I wanted a digital detox. I simply forgot it.
Normally, I would have turned around immediately. Instead, I shrugged and started down the trail.
At first, I felt oddly uncomfortable. No dings. No reviewing emails. No checking messages. Just the crunch of leaves beneath my boots and the occasional chatter of pileated woodpeckers somewhere overhead. About fifteen minutes into the walk, I noticed something unexpected.
My shoulders had dropped.
My breathing had slowed.
The constant mental conversation I'd been carrying for weeks—the deadlines, the to-do lists, the replaying of yesterday's conversations—began to fade into the background.
Nothing dramatic happened.
The forest didn't solve my problems.
But it reminded me that I was more than my problems.
That experience stayed with me long after I returned home. Years later, when I discovered the growing body of scientific research on nature and mental health, I realized I wasn't alone.
Researchers around the world have been documenting similar experiences for decades.
Modern life has brought incredible convenience, but it has also brought increasing levels of stress, anxiety, loneliness, and depression. At the same time, people are spending less time outdoors than previous generations.
Many adults spend the majority of their day indoors—working, commuting, shopping, and relaxing in built environments. Children are growing up with fewer opportunities to play outside. Screens compete with sunsets. Notifications replace birdsong.
Researchers have begun asking an important question: What happens when we lose our everyday relationship with nature?
A 2020 systematic review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health examined dozens of studies exploring whether nature-based interventions can improve mental health and well-being.
Nature-based interventions include structured activities that intentionally connect people with natural environments. Depending on the study, these included forest walks, guided outdoor experiences, gardening programs, conservation activities, green exercise, and other forms of meaningful engagement with nature.
Rather than relying on one experiment, the researchers evaluated the broader body of evidence to identify consistent patterns.
Their conclusion was encouraging: Across many different populations and settings, spending intentional time in nature was associated with improvements in mental well-being, reductions in stress, and positive psychological outcomes. At the same time, the authors emphasized that many studies were relatively small or used different methods, highlighting the need for more high-quality research before drawing stronger conclusions.
That balance is important.
The science is promising.
It is also continuing to evolve.
One of the fascinating aspects of this research is that there probably isn't just one explanation.
Instead, several factors appear to work together.
Every day our brains process traffic, advertising, emails, social media, conversations, decisions, and countless interruptions.
Natural environments ask much less of our attention.
Instead of forcing us to concentrate, they gently invite us to observe.
Watching grass move in the wind.
Listening to flowing water.
Feeling sunlight filtering through branches.
Psychologists sometimes describe this as "soft fascination"—a type of attention that allows the mind to rest while remaining engaged.
Many studies have found that people report feeling calmer after spending time outdoors.
Some research has also documented measurable physiological changes, including reductions in stress-related indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure, or stress hormones in certain settings.
Together, these findings suggest that natural environments may help shift the body away from a heightened stress response and toward a more restorative state.
One of the beautiful things about a forest is that it doesn't rush around.
Trees aren't trying to get somewhere.
Streams don't check their messages.
When we slow down enough to notice the natural world, we often discover that our own pace begins to change.
Without trying to meditate, we become more aware of our breathing, our surroundings, and ourselves.
That simple shift can feel surprisingly restorative.
At Yamadori Nature & Forest Therapy, we know this intentional relationship with nature as forest bathing, or Shinrin-Yoku.
Forest bathing isn't exercise.
It isn't hiking.
It isn't about reaching a summit.
It's the practice of slowing down and engaging with the forest through all of your senses.
The broader review didn't focus exclusively on forest bathing, but its findings fit beautifully with what many ANFT guides witness every day: when people slow down and truly experience nature, meaningful changes often follow.
Some participants describe feeling lighter.
Others sleep better.
Many simply report remembering what it feels like to breathe deeply again.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the review is that the benefits weren't limited to one specific group of people.
Researchers found evidence suggesting that nature-based interventions may support people across different ages and circumstances.
That doesn't mean nature is a cure for mental illness.
It doesn't replace therapy.
It doesn't replace medication when medication is needed.
Instead, nature can become one valuable piece of a much larger picture of well-being.
Just as healthy sleep, nourishing food, movement, and supportive relationships matter, our connection with the natural world appears to matter too.
Perhaps that's one reason forest bathing feels so different from many modern wellness practices.
There is nothing to achieve.
No pace to maintain.
No score to beat.
No perfect photograph to capture.
The forest has no expectations.
It simply offers an opportunity to arrive exactly as you are.
That may be one of its greatest gifts.
You don't need to disappear into a remote wilderness to experience the restorative qualities of nature.
Start where you are.
Visit a nearby forest preserve or botanical garden.
Walk slowly through a local park or village green.
Sit beneath your favorite tree during lunch.
If you don’t have a favorite tree. Find one.
Notice the changing seasons.
Listen before you speak.
Look before you photograph.
Allow yourself to experience nature instead of consuming it.
Even small, regular moments outdoors can help rebuild a relationship that many of us didn't realize we were missing.
Science continues to deepen our understanding of something humans have long known intuitively: we belong in relationship with the natural world.
The 2020 review adds another meaningful piece to that growing body of evidence. While researchers rightly call for larger and more rigorous studies, the overall message is hopeful. Nature-based experiences consistently show promise as a way to support mental health and emotional well-being alongside other healthy practices.
At Yamadori Nature & Forest Therapy, we believe every forest offers an invitation—not to escape life, but to reconnect with it.
The next time the world feels overwhelming, you don't have to have all the answers.
You might simply begin with one slow step beneath the trees, through the chaparral, or under a blanket of stars.
Reference
Corazon, S. S., et al. (2020). Nature-Based Interventions and Mind–Body Interventions: Saving Public Health Costs Whilst Increasing Life Satisfaction and Happiness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. This article discusses findings from a systematic review of nature-based interventions and mental health, highlighting promising evidence while emphasizing the need for further high-quality research.
Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Barbara County
California
