Why Being in Nature Helps You Feel Better

Spending time in nature isn’t just a pleasant escape—it’s also a powerful ally for reducing stress, improving mental health, and supporting addiction recovery. The healing magic of the outdoors provides numerous benefits: it slows the cortisol rush, sharpens cognitive capacity, offers soothing distraction from cravings, and rekindles connection—to the world and yourself.

Beneficial Nature Therapy

According to attention restoration theory, time spent in green spaces allows our minds to rest from constant cognitive strain. Natural environments, such as forests, parks, rivers, and lakes, offer “soft fascinations”: watching rustling leaves or flowing water eases mental fatigue and restores clarity.

A 2024 meta-analysis spanning 30 years of studies found that even 10 minutes outside yielded measurable mental health improvements for people with diagnosed mental illnesses. Individuals with mood disorders—such as depression or bipolar—reported especially strong short-term relief.

The National Recreation and Park Association reports that 92% of Americans feel mentally uplifted after visiting a local park. Here’s another fun fact: a “Park Prescription” program launched in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore enables health providers to prescribe outdoor time—walking, biking, kayaking—as a health intervention that reduces stress and promotes well-being.

For people recovering from substance use disorder, alcohol use disorder, or a dual diagnosis, nature-based activities offer more than beauty—research indicates they offer practical recovery tools, such as:

Stress reduction. Forest therapy or hiking can lower cortisol and ease anxiety, making it easier to resist triggers.
Craving management. Green space exposure has been linked to reduced cravings for alcohol, cigarettes, and unhealthy foods—even views of greenery through windows can help.
Mental clarity. Outdoor adventures improve focus, reduce rumination, and relieve cognitive overload common in early recovery.
Building purpose and connection. Participating in group hikes, kayaking, or gardening fosters camaraderie, accountability, and shared purpose—key aspects of recovery.

Another study concluded that 85% of nature-based intervention research showed positive results in supporting recovery outcomes, including decreased substance use and improved mental health.

This quote truly says it all: “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” — John Burroughs.

How Can You Include More Aspects of Nature in Your Routine?

Here are easy, actionable steps to integrate the outdoors into your daily recovery practice.

Start Small and Stay Consistent

Step outside with intention. Each morning, walk for 5–10 minutes, even just around the block or in your backyard. Use this time to breathe deeply, notice the trees, listen to birds, or watch clouds drift by.
Eat meals outdoors. Enjoy breakfast or lunch on a porch, park bench, or patio. Even brief exposure to sunlight and fresh air elevates your mood and resets your nervous system.
Commute with nature in mind. If you walk, bike, or take the bus, choose a route that includes trees, greenways, or water. Changing your scenery—even for a few blocks—calms your mind.

Use “Green Time” to Replace “Screen Time”

Unplug in the evenings. Instead of defaulting to your phone or TV, spend time outside after dinner. Try reading on a blanket under a tree or journaling in a quiet outdoor space.
Create a mindful break. Set a reminder once or twice a day to step outside for 3–5 minutes. Breathe slowly and pay attention to what you see, hear, and feel around you—sunlight on your skin, birdsong, the smell of rain or leaves.

Bring Nature to You

Tend to a plant. Start a small herb garden, potted flowers, or houseplants. Caring for living things fosters purpose and responsibility, which are essential to successful recovery.
Open your windows. Let natural light and fresh air in. Even just working or relaxing near a window with a view of trees or sky helps reduce stress.
Decorate with nature. Add natural elements—like stones, branches, shells, or flowers—to your home or recovery space to ground your surroundings.

Join a walking group. Many communities offer free programs at parks or trails. These offer not just exercise, but also connection.
Invite a friend. Suggest exercising outdoors together rather than meeting for coffee or hanging indoors. Conversations tend to feel more open and less pressured when you’re moving side by side.
Volunteer outside. Help with a local park clean-up, community garden, or nature center. Being of service outdoors combines purpose, community, and healing all at once.

Embrace Weekends and Free Time

Plan short nature outings. Spend a few hours exploring a new trail, fishing at a local lake, or visiting a botanical garden. Indiana’s numerous state parks and natural areas are often within a one-hour drive for most of us.
Try nature journaling. Bring a notebook on your outings. Sketch what you see, write about how you feel, or list things you’re grateful for during the walk.
Practice forest bathing. Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, this involves slowly and mindfully walking through the woods, focusing on all five senses. It’s less about exercise and more about emotional and sensory grounding.

Northern Path’s Support of Holistic Care

At Northern Path Recovery Center in Fort Wayne, IN, our board-certified professionals provide a comprehensive treatment approach of evidence-based practices combined with holistic well-being techniques. This dual focus helps you create a more purposeful path to lasting health. Whether you’re considering rehabilitation, returning after a relapse, or looking for options to help a loved one, feel free to talk to a member of our admissions team to learn more.