When life feels like a lot, many people head outside. New international research suggests that instinct may run deeper than a simple mood lift.
A team of more than 100 researchers found that across 75 countries, people who felt more connected to nature also reported higher well-being.
The study drew on data collected between 2020 and 2022 from more than 38,000 participants through a large international collaboration set up to gauge how people responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants came from countries including Brazil, Japan, Nigeria, Germany and Indonesia, and were on average in their teens, 20s or 30s.
The researchers, environmental psychologists based in the US and Germany, said most earlier work on the topic had focused on people in so-called WEIRD societies, Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic.
In the study, “nature connectedness” did not simply mean hiking or visiting a park. The term referred to the extent to which people saw nature as part of who they are, including an emotional bond with the natural world and a sense of oneness with it.
Someone with a high degree of nature connectedness might agree with statements such as “My relationship to nature is an important part of who I am.”
Participants completed questionnaires on their bond with nature and several aspects of well-being. Researchers looked at people’s sense of purpose in life, feelings of hope, life satisfaction and optimism, resilience, ability to cope with stress, and mindfulness in everyday life.
“Across this large international sample, we found that people who felt more connected to nature consistently reported higher levels of well-being and mindfulness,” the authors wrote.
They said that pattern held across measures including life satisfaction and “deeper aspects of flourishing, such as having a sense of direction and meaning”. The associations also remained when accounting for age and gender.
The team also examined national conditions, including how countries care for air, water systems and ecosystems, access to education, democratic participation and other social and financial resources, and cultural emphasis on collective well-being over individual priorities.
“There were some differences, but the main takeaway was pretty clear: A connection with nature and well-being shows up across a wide range of economic, cultural, and environmental contexts,” the authors wrote.
They added: “In other words, the psychological benefits of feeling connected to nature do not appear to be limited to wealthy Western nations or specific cultural worldviews.”
The researchers said one possible reason for the link is mindfulness. In their data, people with a stronger sense of nature connectedness also tended to have a higher degree of mindfulness, which they described as strongly linked to mental health.
They also said bonding with nature may make people more resilient, and that people who feel connected to something larger than themselves may find it easier to cope with stress and uncertainty.
The findings, republished from The Conversation, said policy efforts such as accessible green spaces in cities, nature-based experiences in schools and support for community engagement with local environments may help people flourish.
“Across cultures, languages, and economic systems, feeling connected to the natural world is consistently linked to living a more hopeful, purposeful, and resilient life,” the authors wrote.
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