Environment
How Nature Can Restore Well-Being
Time in nature relieves stress and restores our sense of connection.
Posted March 18, 2026 Reviewed by Lybi Ma
Key points
- Many of us are experiencing the stress of disconnection
- Time in nature can bring us the feeling of awe.
- Connecting with nature can relieve depression, lower our blood pressure, and improve well-being.
According to the American Psychological Association (2025), many of us are experiencing the stress of disconnection. British psychologist Steve Taylor (2022) described how disconnection can undermine our personal and political health, and former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy (2023) warned of an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in America. Research has shown how rapid changes in technology, economics, politics, and the COVID pandemic have undermined our sense of security (Kruglanski and colleagues, 2025).
Yet we can begin to relieve our stress by connecting with the natural world around us. Research reveals that moments of awe connecting with the beauty and grandeur of nature can silence the brain regions that produce negative self-talk, anxiety, and worry (Keltner, 2023). According to research, experiencing awe can improve our physical health as well, relieving stress, reducing inflammation, and inspiring feelings of joy and interconnectedness (Stellar and colleagues, 2015).
Research has found that parks and green spaces can significantly relieve stress and improve well-being in urban populations (Li and colleagues, 2025). Walking in a natural setting has been shown to help relieve depression, and spending 30 minutes walking around and looking at a forest can help people relax, lower their blood pressure, and bring them greater peace of mind (Berman and colleagues, 2012; Park and colleagues, 2010).
Have you found comfort connecting with nature in the past? Years ago, as a first-generation college student entering a challenging Ph.D. program at UCLA, I’d find a sense of hope and renewal at the end of the day by walking a few blocks from my Santa Monica apartment to visit the Pacific Ocean. Seeing the waves washing rhythmically to shore, breathing in the salt sea air, and watching the seagulls circling overhead relieved my stress and helped me connect with the larger rhythms of life (Dreher, 2025).
You can connect with nature to experience such results for yourself. You can walk around your neighborhood, spend time in a garden, beside a lake, or in a nearby park, enjoy the brief beauty of a sunset, or gaze at the stars at night.
The natural world is all around us, offering beauty and a deep sense of connection in these challenging times.
© 2026 Diane Dreher, All Rights Reserved.
References
American Psychological Association. (2025). Stress in America: A crisis of connection.
Berman, M.G., Kross, E., Krpan, K.M., Askren, M. K., Burson, A., Deldin, P. J., Kaplan, S., Sherdell, L., Gotlib, I. H., Jonides, J. (2012). Interacting with nature improves cognition and affect for individuals with depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 140, 300-305.
Dreher, D. (2025). Pathways to inner peace: Finding connection, inspiration, and renewal in challenging times. Hollister, CA: MSI Press.
Keltner, D. (2023). Awe: The new science of everyday wonder and how it can transform your life. New York, NY: Penguin Press.
Kruglanski, A. W., et al. (2025). Facing the unknown with hope or fear: On the affective reactions to outcome uncertainty. European Review of Social Psychology, 1–36.
Li, Y., Xu, Z., & Yang, J. (2025). Research on restorative benefits and stress relief approaches in urban green space for different stress threshold groups. Land, 14(11), 2293.
Murthy, V. H. (2023). Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community.
Park, B.J., et al. (2009). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): Evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health Preventive Medicine, 15, 18-26.
Stellar, J. E., et al. (2015). Positive affect and markers of inflammation: Discrete positive emotions predict lower levels of inflammatory cytokines. Emotion, 15, 129-133.
Taylor, S. (2022). Disconnected: the roots of human cruelty and how connection can heal the world. Alresford, UK: John Hunt Publishing
This post is for informational purposes and should not substitute for psychotherapy with a qualified professional.
