What the Great Outdoors Does to Your Brain

Spending time in nature enhances your cognitive function as well as your mental health.

"I recommend stepping outside and embracing nature if you want to sharpen your senses and boost your mental health. Time spent outdoors, away from the stress of city life, work, and daily routines, can greatly enhance your brain function and improve your mood," explains Amber Lin MD, a board certified family medicine physician at PIH Health.

Many studies have shown that spending time in nature enhances memory, improves focus, relieves stress, and reduces blood pressure, cortisol levels and heart rate. Taking a break from your usual routine and being surrounded by a natural environment can help boost mood, improve sleep, ease anxiety, lower depression and promote happiness. And since most people are naturally active when they’re in a natural environment, you’re also more likely to reap the health benefits physical activity provides.

You don’t need to pack up your car and head to the hills to enjoy these benefits. Although getting away from a city or urban location is a nice respite, you’ll benefit from spending time in nature by being anywhere that has some green space. It can be a park, a hiking trail, a garden or anywhere with a natural environment or views of greenery.

Research has shown that having green spaces near schools in urban environments promotes cognitive development in children. When there are green spaces near homes, it encourages self-control behaviors in children. Even adults in public housing units had better attentional functioning if they had more access to natural environments in their neighborhoods. This shows that being exposed to nature does more than just boost your mood – it boosts your brain function.

Adults and adolescents spend over 90 percent of their time indoors and more than seven hours a day looking at screens. But with so many good reasons to enjoy the great outdoors and reap the benefits of being in a natural environment, don’t you think it’s worth finding ways to do so?

Here are a few ways to spend more time in nature:

• Take breaks outside – You don’t have to take the day off to enjoy nature more. Simply spend a few minutes whenever you can go outside. Take a walk, eat a meal outdoors, listen to the birds or watch the clouds go by.
• Visit nature sites – Can’t get to a mountain for a hike or a rambling stream to cast your fishing rod? Most urban areas have natural areas to enjoy such as parks, zoos, and public gardens. You just have to get out and find them.
• Plan an outdoor getaway – The next time you’re planning a trip, make it to someplace where you can be in touch with nature. Head to a mountain, lake, beach, or national park. Go hiking, camping, fishing, rock climbing, canoeing, stargazing or simply spend time strolling around and enjoying all there is to see.

There are many benefits to spending more time outdoors. Instead of watching videos of other people getting in touch with nature, think about turning off your phone and experiencing the beauty of green spaces and natural environments on your own. It’s good for your brain, your body, your mood, and your soul.

If you’re looking to improve your mental and physical health, consider speaking with a primary care physician who can provide personalized advice on integrating nature into your routine. Book an appointment today at PIHHealth.org/Appointments to start your journey towards health and wellness.

Amber R. Lin MD

As an eight-year-old, Dr. Lin heard about people in Africa dying from easily treated diseases and decided to become a doctor to help. She chose to specialize in Family Medicine during her medical school OB/Gyn rotation when she discovered the joy and challenge of treating both babies and adults. “No two days are similar,” Dr. Lin explains. “As a Family Medicine practitioner, I can get to know an entire family as if they’re my own.” Dr. Lin has an interest in Tropical Medicine and Global Health. As the Program Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program in Whittier, California, she enjoys teaching the next generations of family medicine doctors for PIH Health and the community we serve. Dr. Lin travels to Africa in the Tropical Medicine rotation to provide residents with expertise and education in tropical medicine diseases. She also loves music, singing, and hip-hop dance when not practicing or teaching medicine.

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