By Sarah Swaney
We live in a world where disconnection from nature has become the norm. Many of us spend most of our time indoors often in environments without access to green spaces, especially in urban areas where yards, balconies, or even windows that open can be a luxury. Add to that the fast pace of modern life, and it’s no wonder it feels difficult to carve out time to go outside before or after a long workday.
Yet as human beings, we are not separate from nature we are part of it. We’ve evolved in relationship with the natural world, and restoring that connection can be deeply healing. Below are five meaningful ways nature supports our overall wellness.
1. Reduces Stress & Anxiety
Research shows that simply being in nature or even seeing the color green can calm the nervous system. From an evolutionary psychology perspective, our brains may associate green with safety, abundance, and resources, such as food and water. Whether or not this rings true for you, the presence of nature often elicits an immediate sense of ease in the body.
Nature also helps regulate stress hormones like cortisol and activates the parasympathetic nervous system our body’s “rest and restore” mode. Just a walk through a park or sitting under a tree can send signals to your body that it’s safe to slow down and breathe.
2. Feeling Mindful & Grounded
Nature invites us to connect to our senses. Mindfulness is most accessible when we are attuned to the present moment, and the natural world offers endless opportunities to do just that: noticing the singing of birds, the scent of fresh soil and grass, or the feel of the sun on your skin.
Activities like hiking, gardening, swimming, or simply lying in the grass allow us to reconnect with our bodies. In doing so, we begin to feel more grounded, more present, and more alive.
3. Improves Physical Health
Spending time outdoors isn’t just good for the mind, it benefits the body too. Exposure to natural sunlight helps regulate our circadian rhythms, which improves sleep quality and, in turn, emotional resilience. Fresh air and movement can increase energy levels, improve immune function, and enhance mood.
Additionally, nature can make movement feel more enjoyable rather than like a chore. Whether you’re biking, walking, or playing in the yard with a pet, it’s easier to move your body in ways that feel good when you’re outside.
4. Cultivates a Sense of Belonging & Community
As Robin Wall Kimmerer writes in Braiding Sweetgrass, “In some Native languages, the term for plants translates to ‘those who take care of us.’”
Nature itself is a community alive with reciprocity and interconnectedness. Did you know trees communicate through underground root systems? And some plants are aware of how many resources they might be taking from their neighbors, and as a result, will stunt their own growth so their neighbor can also grow?
Plants respond to their environments in surprisingly intelligent ways. Even when we’re alone in nature, we’re never truly alone- when outdoors, community surrounds us.
Spending time outside can also lead to new human connections through shared outdoor hobbies, community gardens, or even simply exchanging smiles with fellow walkers at a park. Nature reminds us we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.
5. Deepens Spiritual Connection
Many Indigenous traditions teach that we have a sacred relationship with the earth, one rooted in mutual care. When we pay attention to the rhythms and relationships in nature, we begin to feel more connected to ourselves, to others, and to the greater web of life.
This sense of connection can evoke awe, reverence, and gratitude. Whether through rituals, prayer, or quiet reflection, nature can become a spiritual space where we remember that we belong.
How to Begin Reconnecting with Nature
Reconnecting with nature doesn’t require a cabin in the woods. Here are a few simple ways to start:
- Step outside and notice what you see, hear, and feel even for five minutes.
- Take your lunch break in a park or near a tree.
- Grow a plant on your windowsill.
- Go barefoot on grass or dirt.
- Watch the clouds or stargaze at night.
- Practice mindful breathing outdoors.
- Read or listen to books on the natural world- such as
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl
- The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
- The Overstory by Richard Powers
- Hug a tree 🙂
Remember, nature is a relationship. And like any relationship, it grows with attention and time.
