Nurtured by Nature

The article “Nurtured by Nature” (APA Monitor, April 2020) reviews research on the psychological, cognitive, and emotional benefits people derive from exposure to natural environments. It reports that being in nature is linked to reduced stress, improved attention, better mood, and decreased risk of psychiatric disorders. The piece also examines barriers to access, like lack of green space in urban areas or inequitable distribution of parks, that influence how people can experience nature.

With so many benefits linked to nature, people naturally wonder: How much time outside is enough? White and colleagues took a stab at answering that question by studying a representative sample of nearly 20,000 adults across the United Kingdom. They found people who had spent at least two recreational hours in nature during the previous week reported significantly greater health and well-being. That pattern held true across subgroups including older adults and people with chronic health problems, and the effects were the same whether they got their dose of nature in a single 120-minute session or spread out over the course of the week (Scientific Reports, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2019). “We’re not saying we’ve cracked this nut yet, but this is a first step toward making specific recommendations about how much time in nature is enough,” White says.

The amount of time one spends in nature isn’t the only element to consider—it’s also beneficial to feel connected to the natural world even when you’re stuck at a desk. Researchers call this feeling by a variety of names, including nature relatedness, connectedness to nature, and inclusion of nature in self, and they’ve developed a number of scales to measure the trait.

Whatever you call it, connectedness to nature seems to benefit mood and mental health. In a meta-analysis, Alison Pritchard, PhD, ABPP, at the University of Derby in England, and colleagues found that people who feel more connected to nature have greater eudaimonic well-being—a type of contentment that goes beyond just feeling good and includes having meaningful purpose in life (Journal of Happiness Studies, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2020).

Zelenski and Nisbet studied whether connection itself is the magic ingredient. They assessed the overlap between connectedness with nature and a general sense of connectedness, such as feeling in tune with one’s friends or community. They found that feeling connected to nature was a significant predictor of happiness even after controlling for the effects of general connectedness (Environment and Behavior, Vol. 46, No. 1, 2014). “People who feel that their self-concept is intertwined with nature report being a bit happier,” says Zelenski. “Nature connectedness isn’t the biggest predictor of happiness, but [the association between the two] is quite consistent.”

In fact, nature might help to buffer the effects of loneliness or social isolation. White and his colleagues surveyed 359 U.K. residents about their social connectedness and proximity to nature over the previous week. Social isolation is typically associated with worse subjective well-being. But the researchers found that when people with low social connectedness had high levels of nearby nature, they reported high levels of well-being (Cartwright, B. D. S., et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 15, No. 6, 2018). “There are people who don’t necessarily want to spend their time with others, but they feel connected to the natural environment, and that can enhance their well-being,” White says.

User experience in natural spaces is central to delivering the benefits described. It is not enough to simply have green or blue space; accessibility, amenities, safety, aesthetic, etc. influence whether people engage with nature and receive its restorative effects. We can assume that parks with well-maintained trails, clear signage, access to shaded rest areas, and opportunities for quiet reflection or social gathering improve mood, cognitive restoration, and emotional well-being. Moreover, ensuring equitable access so that multiple groups of users can comfortably and frequently use natural spaces amplifies the public health benefit as a whole. This means that the solution isn't just to improve either nature or amenities but seeing where they intersect gives a more fruitful solution.

References.

Weir, K. (2025, April 8). Nurtured by nature. American Psychological Association, 51(3). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature

‌This review draws on Nurtured by Nature (APA Monitor, April 2020) (~40%), my own synthesis applying its findings to the importance of user experience in natural spaces (~30%), and AI assistance in summarizing, quoting, and drafting prose (~30%); all interpretations remain the responsibility of the author.