Why Nature Contact Is Good for Us
Citation
Bratman, G. N., & Gross, J. J. (2025). Why nature contact is good for us. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.11.003
Spending time in nature has long been thought to be good for people, and scientists are now studying these benefits in more careful and detailed ways. Researchers from many fields are measuring not just how nature helps reduce negative feelings like stress or anxiety, but also how it can boost positive emotions such as calmness and happiness.
Although we still do not fully know why nature has these effects, scientists have made real progress in understanding some of the pathways linking time outdoors to improved emotional well-being. In this review, researchers focus on what is currently known about these mechanisms and emotional outcomes. They also point out new ideas and promising directions for future research in this fast-growing area of study.
Abstract
Nature contact has long been considered salutary. Recently, scientists from a variety of home disciplines have begun to systematically document these benefits through new assessment approaches and considerations of a wide range of negative and positive affective outcomes. They also have expanded the scale of their investigations, increasing their capacity to understand specifics about the characteristics, magnitude, and timing of effects. Although much remains to be learned about why these affective benefits occur, impressive progress has been made in identifying some of the mechanisms linking nature contact to human functioning. In this review, we focus specifically on mechanisms and outcomes related to affective functioning. We discuss emerging insights and highlight promising directions for future research in this rapidly evolving field.