This Could Be The Antidote To Low Mood & Negative Feelings, Study Finds

When the going gets tough, the tough get going—outside? You got that right.

According to new research published in the journal Environmental Research & Public Health1, there might really be something to nature prescriptions, especially in the case of combatting low mood and negative feelings. Here's what they found.

Is nature really a cure for low mood?

There's nothing like a breath of fresh air to clear your mind and lighten your spirit, so for this study, researchers wanted to assess if nature really does reduce negative emotions in a significant way.

To do so, they examined existing data across 33 studies which included over 2,000 participants. The studies all looked at how exposure to nature (whether real, virtual, or image-based) impacted participants' mood and emotions, using both neuro-imaging and psychological assessments.

And based on the findings, nature undoubtedly makes a marked difference on our mental health. Walking in nature showed an increase in positive emotions across five studies, and a decrease in negative emotions in four studies. VR-based nature exposure had similar results, both increasing positive feelings and decreasing negative ones. Even simply looking at images of nature improved participants' mood.

"Overall, exposure to nature was associated with reductions in negative emotions in clinical populations," the study authors write. "In contrast, healthy populations showed a more balanced psychological response, with nature exposure being associated with both increases in positive emotions and reductions in negative emotions," they add.

A prescription—for nature time

While the study authors note that more research is needed to understand exactly how nature influences our brain health and mental health, the findings show promise for public health guidelines.

"Findings from this systematic review support the notion that nature exposure is a critical determinant of brain health and therefore brain capital. Thus, promoting and maintaining healthy environments is critical to promote and grow the world's brain capital," they explain.

So consider this your invitation to take a walk outside today, whether you go on an extended hike, hit up a local trail, or just take a stroll around the block. Considering some studies showed that even images of nature can improve your mood, you might even consider hanging up some new landscape art.

But if you ask us, there's no beating the real thing, and spending time in nature comes with a ton of other benefits as well.

"Ultimately," the study authors conclude, "the goal is to design Nature prescriptions (Nature Rx) to promote brain health and treat mental illnesses across the lifespan."

The takeaway

Spending time in nature not only connects us to something larger than ourselves, but it improves our mental health, and has even been associated with longer life expectancy. Based on these findings (and all the other studies supporting the benefits of nature exposure) there's never been a better time—or more reason—to get outside.