How nature boosts mental health
Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer on the connections between time outside and our health
By
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Daniel Vernick
© Guy Edwardes / naturepl.com / WWF
Ever take a walk in the woods and feel relaxed? It’s not just you—spending time in nature is scientifically proven to boost your mental health.
I spoke with Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer, a pediatrician and associate medical director of Park Rx America. Her organization promotes time in nature as a way to improve both human and planetary health. Nature needs us, and we need nature to thrive.
Your work centers around the connections between nature, human health, and planetary wellbeing. What led you to begin doing this work?
About 14 years ago, I attended a talk at an American Academy of Pediatrics conference about how important it is for people to spend time outdoors. I learned how an increasing lack of nature in children’s lives is causing an epidemic of mental and physical health problems. They actually mentioned a term called nature deficit disorder.
At that point, a light bulb went off in my head. I realized nature isn’t just important for some of us, it’s a necessity for all of us. I really wanted to combine my work as a pediatrician with my love for nature, and do it in an evidence-based way to improve public health.
What is the history of the relationship between nature and mental health?
The connection between nature and health has shown up throughout history. But it’s really over the last few decades that the focus has exploded. A big reason is that we’ve spent consistently less time in nature. Adults spend more than 90% of their day indoors, much of it looking at phone and computer screens. At the same time, there’s been an increase in mental health issues. The research on the relationship between those two things is getting clearer and clearer.
Time in nature doesn’t just benefit our minds, it’s also important for our planet. A lot of studies show that being outside increases environmental stewardship. That’s why public health officials working with conservation organizations is so important.
Could you talk about the specific mental health benefits of being in nature?
Time around nature decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression, strengthens wellbeing, and lowers stress. We can measure stress through the level of a hormone called cortisol. Being in nature significantly decreases our cortisol levels.
In terms of physical health, we see improvements in blood pressure and diabetes symptoms. For example, there have been studies of forest bathing—a mindfulness practice focused on engaging one's senses in a natural setting—that have taken blood samples from participants before and after. They found a significant increase in the cells that prevent inflammation and cancer in the body.
Time in nature also reduces loneliness. There’s a feeling of awe when you go out into the natural world. It’s so grand and big and grounding, it just makes you feel connected and increases a sense of belonging.
© Shaun Martin
What does a typical day on the job look like for you?
My goal is to educate health providers about the benefits of nature. I do a lot of conferences, podcasts, and journal articles. I also work directly with doctors and nurses who want to write nature prescriptions. Nature prescriptions are a way that providers can prescribe for their patients to spend time outside. Some people like to walk in a park, others like to meditate, and others want to play basketball. Every prescription is unique and tailored to the patient.
There’s also a lot of burnout among healthcare providers. That got us thinking, could nature prescriptions help providers address their own mental health struggles? And if they wrote prescriptions for themselves or their colleagues, and saw how beneficial nature time is, they might be more likely to recommend it to their patients.
We did a survey and found that providers who take a break outside during the workday are more likely to issue nature prescriptions. We are currently doing a study in Houston where doctors and nurses help to plant and tend to tree saplings outside their clinic. Our hypothesis is that tending to a sapling can help reduce burnout and stress.
Does being around plants indoors also have benefits?
Yep. There was a study that took place in a hospital where patients had just come from surgery. Half were put near windows with a view of trees and green space, and the other half were not. Those looking out on green space were discharged after a significantly smaller number of days than the other group. Just having a view of nature from a window can be helpful.
Nature access varies significantly depending on where in the country you live. Do you have suggestions for people who live in cities?
First of all, the amount of nature access in cities is slowly improving. There’s a big movement to increase urban green space for both people and the planet. For example, tree-lined streets help address extreme heat, creating more shade and making it less hot. Extreme heat worsens many chronic illnesses, and trees can help a lot.
There’s a campaign to ensure that every American is within 10 minutes of a green space that they can walk to. To make this happen, some cities are transforming vacant parking lots into parks, while others are expanding community gardens. Blue spaces, such as fountains and ponds, are also very calming.
If you could share one thing with the people reading this, what would it be?
I would highlight how planetary health and human health go hand in hand. Mental health conditions are so prevalent, and loneliness was designated by the Surgeon General as an epidemic in 2023. And by connecting people to nature to improve their mental health, we also hope to help conservation efforts.
We have to redefine what nature is. Those of us who are lucky enough to travel to a national park, for example, often view nature in a particular way. But most people don’t live near a national park. Nature prescriptions actually used to be called park prescriptions, but we changed the name because not everyone has access to or feels safe in a park. It’s important for people to know that any form of nature has health benefits.
Learn more about WWF’s work at the intersection of nature and human health.
© Pete McBride