Introduction
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”These beautiful lines by John Muir tell us that nature has so much to give to all of us. Often, people go outdoors to “escape” stress. But nature not only just reduces stress, it also actively restores balance, lowers anxiety, and refreshes the spirit. Even if we go for a short walk, nature can fill our minds and hearts with new ideas, improve concentration, and help us see problems differently. In this blog, we’ll see how nature helps us reduce stress and help us improve our focus.
The Science Behind Nature and Stress Relief
Spending more time in nature can help us reduce anxiety levels and boost our feelings of happiness and well-being. Many writers and filmmakers have shared that whenever they lose motivation, or run out of ideas, they go for ecotherapy, and nature provides them inspiration they need. Research has also shown that spending 120 minutes a week in nature strengthens mental health and well-being.
According to an article by the American Heart Association, if a person is feeling - depressed, stressed, anxious, fatigued, uninspired, or disconnected, try going outside to green, natural spaces. Nature presents scenes that gently capture our attention instead of suddenly snatching it, calming our nerves instead of frazzling them.
Nature can:
- Help us improve our thinking, reasoning, and other mental abilities.
- Improve physical wellness.
- Improve our mental health.
Simple activities like walking in a park, listening to birds, or watching flowing water, can help reduce our stress and improve our focus.
Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggests that nature helps restore our mental focus and reduce mental fatigue.
It proposes that nature can renew our attention after using up mental energy, such as after long study sessions or working on demanding projects.
The Biophilia hypothesis by Edward O. Wilson suggests that humans have an innate connection to nature and other living things. He defined biophilia as the “innate tendency to focus on life and life-like processes”. He believed that exploring and connecting with life is a fundamental part of our mental growth.
Nature’s Role in Improving Focus
Nature can help us in many ways and one of them is improving our focus level, and this has been proven by many studies. Nature can calm our busy mind. Research has found that spending time in nature is really beneficial for our brains. The University of Chicago psychologist Marc Berman, PhD and his student Kathryn Schertz looked into this in a review they did in 2019. They found out that kids who go to school near parks and green spaces do better in school. Kids who live in homes with a nice view of nature are better at controlling their behaviour.
Even grown-ups benefit from nature. People who live in apartments with lots of space around them can focus better than people who do not have access to nature. Nature is very important for our development and beneficial for people of all ages. One should try to spend more time in nature. And experiments have found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility, and attentional control, while exposure to urban environments is linked to attention deficits.
Nature has a way of healing us. If we spend time around green things it can make our brains feel better when we are tired. For example, some researchers in Australia did an experiment, with students. They asked the students to do a task on a computer where they had to press a key when they saw certain numbers on the screen. Students who looked out at a flowering green roof for 40 seconds midway through the task made significantly fewer mistakes than students who paused for 40 seconds to gaze at a concrete rooftop.
People have found that looking at pictures of nature is good for us. Some researchers, like Frantz and his team did a study where they compared what happened to people who walked outside in nature or in cities. They also compared this to people who just watched videos of nature or cities. What they found out is that being around nature either in person or just by watching a video made people better at paying attention, feeling happy, and thinking about problems in their life. Nature really seems to help people, whether we are outside in nature or just looking at images of nature.
There are numerous such studies and research that have shown that nature is the solution for most of our problems. Therefore, if someone is feeling low, then they should go to green spaces to make their life colourful.
Practical Ways to Connect with Nature
Here are some ways by which people can connect with nature:
Walking Barefoot – Remove your shoes and socks, and walk slowly with your eyes closed. Walk on grass, not on concrete paths, to awaken your senses and create a deeper connection with the earth beneath your feet.
Exercise in Nature – Walking or running outdoors in nature may help reduce feelings of anger, tiredness, and sadness. This can improve both physical and mental health.
Go screen-free – Take breaks from electronic devices, especially when you’re outside. Turn off or silence your device, put it away, and be fully present. Enjoy observing and exploring the world around you, paying attention to plants, birds, clouds, and other natural beauty.
Protect Nature – Taking care of something can make you feel good. And what’s better than nature? Nature is truly amazing. Do what you can to take care of it through your actions and choices. This can be as simple as recycling, to walking instead of driving, or even joining community conservation or clean-up groups. If you are someone who loves nature and want to contribute something meaningful, you are free to join our organisation Him Village E-Prahari.
Conclusion
Nature is really important to us. It helps us feel better when we are stressed or worried. Being in nature can even help us think clearly and be more creative. Lots of people have found that spending time outside in green spaces makes them feel good. You can just take a walk in the park, listen to the birds singing, or look at pictures of nature. Nature helps both our minds and bodies. It is like a teacher that helps us heal.
In a world filled with constant distractions and pressures, reconnecting with nature offers us balance, clarity, and peace. So, the next time you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, step outside—because in every walk with nature, you truly receive far more than you seek.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein