How to Harness the Mind-Healing Powers of Nature’s Unbelievable Beauty

• News & Highlights

During the pandemic, biking through the park, planting a garden, and sitting by a lake breathing the fresh air were safer ways to leave your house than more crowded indoor activities. But sticking with these habits even after theaters and restaurants are fully open is a smart move, especially if the thought of reentry is a bit anxiety-inducing.

“Being outdoors is a natural antidote to stress,” says Richard Taylor, Ph.D., head of the physics department at the University of Oregon, who studies how nature’s patterns affect mental health. His research shows that stress levels plummet by 60% when we view patterns like those found in nature.

“Humans evolved for thousands of years outdoors, and our physiology is designed around it,” he explains. “But then we built these boxes to live in, and there has been a growing move to be inside more. Our stress levels keep growing because of that too.”