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Nature and Mental Health: How the Natural Environment Promotes Psychological Well-Being
Nature can bring you to stillness, that is its gift to you. — Eckhart Tolle
Over recent decades, rapid urbanization and heightened technological immersion have made interactions with natural environments increasingly sparse, prompting concerns about the potential impacts on psychological health (Capaldi, Dopko, & Zelenski, 2014). While busy work schedules and digital connectivity can offer certain conveniences, they may inadvertently limit opportunities for immersion in green spaces, depriving individuals of a fundamental source of stress relief, attention restoration, and emotional rejuvenation (Ulrich, 1984). Indeed, a growing body of research in environmental psychology consistently reveals that contact with nature — encompassing everything from daily walks in a nearby park to scenic window views — can significantly reduce negative affect, mitigate stress responses, and foster more resilient coping strategies (Kuo & Sullivan, 2001). Although these findings might appear intuitive, especially to those who intuitively sense tranquility in natural landscapes, the empirical evidence underscores how nature’s capacity to enhance mental health extends across diverse settings, populations, and cultural contexts (Bratman, Hamilton, & Daily, 2012). By examining the science behind how the natural…
