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Touch Grass: The Health Benefits of Reconnecting With Nature

Meera Nambiar · The Daily · April 21, 2025

Featuring Usha Varanasi, Steering Committee member

A parkgoer about to take a jump at the bridge of Devils Punch Bowl Olympic at National Park in Washington on July 17, 2024. Olympic National Park is one of the most ecologically diverse parks in the U.S., featuring everything from temperate rainforests to alpine peaks and rugged coastline. Credit: Juan Jocom

There is nothing like the feeling of fresh air. The calmness, the sense of wonder when looking at the towering trees or vast ocean, seeing the beauty of the world. While nature and the outdoors can have an emotional reaction, there are many physical and mental benefits as well. But in a world of so much technology and screen time, many people do not take advantage of this or feel like they can not access them.

In order to have the mental benefits of the outdoors, people often use the phrase “reconnecting with nature,” which means paying attention, respecting the nature around you, and being fully focused on your surroundings. Even something small such as a houseplant or a short walk in a city park can provide a personal connection to nature.

“Quality of your interaction with nature is multiplied if you pay attention and therefore respect that connection,” Usha Varanasi, an affiliate faculty member in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, said.

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