Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine  

Archives

Nature. It Does a Mind Good.

Time outside offers wide-ranging benefits for mental health.

By Ziv Shafir
Photos by Ziv Shafir

January | February 2025 Issue

trail walker
Photo by Pam LeBlanc

Like many others, my household struggled during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The anxiety and the unprecedented stay-at-home orders wreaked havoc on the physical and mental health of my then-14-year-old son, Ari, my two dogs and me. We were dejected, out of shape and uncertain about what we were supposed to do. Although we had been taking short, hurried walks in parks and preserves in our South Austin neighborhood, all four of us were ready to go on a longer, more challenging and road trip-worthy trek. But, like many other things in those confusing days, we did not know if we could or should.

Ultimately, after consulting articles from medical and psychological experts who recommended getting out in nature for physical and mental health purposes, we decided to visit a state park we had not visited before. On a warm Friday morning, on the first day of May 2020, we gathered snacks, drinks, hand sanitizer and face masks, and headed to Colorado Bend State Park, just outside of Lampasas.

Spending time in nature is, in the best of times, a mental health elixir. In the worst of times it is even more so. In those stressful days, weeks and months of 2020 and 2021, the outdoors proved to be exactly what the doctor — and the psychologist — ordered. We hiked whenever we could, and our time spent among animals, rocks, trees, waterfalls and fresh air seemed to improve the moods of both us humans and our dogs alike. But anecdotes are not evidence. What, specifically, does scientific research say about the benefits of engaging with nature?

Studies have consistently demonstrated that exposure to nature — be it hiking, running, biking or other outdoor activities — provides endless gains. Simply put, outside time is good for you. In addition to its obvious physical rewards, connecting with nature benefits our emotional health: It reduces anxiety, depression and stress hormone levels; increases happiness; enhances problem-solving skills; boosts creativity; and improves sleep.

As a psychologist and psychology professor myself, the benefits of nature on our mental health have always fascinated me. Why is it that when I go for a hike, I always come back happier and less stressed?

Palo Duro State Park
Photo by Ziv Shafir

The Evidence

Moments into my walks, I always feel like a weight is being lifted off my shoulders, leaving me calm and content. From a physiological perspective, this is due to chemical changes in my body. Research shows that nature exposure boosts serotonin levels (our “feel good” chemical) and decreases cortisol (our stress chemical). Engaging in nature is not just a pleasant experience, but also a scientifically proven way to bolster our emotional well-being.

Some of the research on the importance of outside time for our mental health is being done in our state. Jay Maddock, a professor of public health at Texas A&M University and director of the school's Center for Health and Nature, is one of those researchers. “Chronic stress, in particular, has negative effects throughout the body and can lead to poor mental health,” he tells me. And although more time in nature is better than less, the psychological benefits we receive from connecting with nature occur quickly. “Spending even a short amount of time in nature has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress,” Maddock says. “There are noticeable benefits in as little as 10 minutes at a time and some emerging evidence that two hours a week is beneficial for mental health.”

Our connection with nature is not what it once was. Screen time is on the rise, and our population is shifting to urban areas. The reduced time we spend outside has taken a toll on our well-being, social connections and academic outcomes for children.

When I bring this up to Maddock, I ask him how we can combat this trend. “It is really about making nature a priority,” he says. “Fitting in bits of nature throughout the day, like having walking meetings, eating lunch outside or working in a green space, can add nature to our days while not taking any extra time.” Even better, he tells me, are trips to larger natural environments, like the ones found in Texas. “I try to plan weekend trips to state parks,” Maddock says. “We are lucky to have a fantastic state park system; they provide additional restoration because they are farther away from city sounds, contain greater biodiversity and offer additional solitude.”

The lack of connection to nature is especially evident with today's youth. Compared to their parents and grandparents, children spend considerably less time outside. When I ask Dana Shafir, a licensed therapist based in Arlington (who, full disclosure, is my sister), about the impact this has on children, she points out that research suggests that children benefit greatly from nature exposure. “Spending time in nature supports children's critical-thinking skills, increases their confidence levels and boosts their mood, among many other benefits,” she says.

Healing Powers

The Japanese term shinrin-yoku translates to English as “forest bathing.” It refers to the experience of being immersed in nature. Lauren Hartwick, Lockhart State Park interpreter, is a big proponent of this practice. “Forest bathing is meant to imply that we are bathing in the forest atmosphere and soaking it all in, and through this process we receive a feeling of renewal and a variety of other health benefits,” she says.

I join Hartwick and several other early-risers for a forest bathing outing at Lockhart State Park. Promptly at 9 a.m., Hartwick begins our two-hour guided session by asking us what we hoped to get out of the excursion. Some are hoping it will help them decompress after a hectic work week, a few are repeat “bathers” who sang its praises, and others, like myself, are first-time participants, curious to see what impact it will have on us. Hartwick points out that, no matter what we were hoping to gain from it, forest bathing provides something for everyone.

We make use of all five of our senses on our hike: smelling plants, touching the ground with our bare feet, looking at the water in the creek, listening to the birds — and sometimes pure silence — and tasting edible plants that Hartwick brought from her garden. During these two hours, I feel connected to nature in ways I never felt before. I am “in the zone,” or, to use the psychology term, I am in a “flow” state — completely into what we are doing and enjoying it immensely.

The mindfulness evoked by forest bathing has been shown to foster calm and rebalance our emotions. Activities that involve the senses deepen our connection with the natural world, enabling us to perceive beauty, find meaning in nature and feel emotions such as compassion.

Research tells us that fractal patterns in nature — geometric forms that repeat at different levels in objects such as trees, clouds and rivers — have positive health effects on us. Viewing fractals in nature increases alpha brainwave activity, which is associated with relaxation and physiological health benefits. As I look at the veins of a leaf or the bark of a tree, my body calms down. Our bodies respond to fractal patterns before we are even aware of what we're observing.

After it's over, I feel both relaxed and recharged. Hartwick is not surprised. “Studies have shown that there are bacteria living in soil that have antidepressant properties and stimulate our immune system,” she says. “When we make time to connect with nature through our senses, forests and natural areas can nourish our spirit and improve our physical and mental well-being. That is why you felt reinvigorated.”

Another line of thought, what's called attention restoration, suggests that mental fatigue can be combated and concentration improved by time spent in nature. Our brains feel fatigued after focusing on specific tasks, and exposure to natural environments lets the brain function more freely, allowing it to recover and replenish its capacity for attention.

Even hospitals are getting in on nature's healing powers. Using a growing body of scientific findings, hospitals such as MD Anderson and Houston Methodist have incorporated gardens and green spaces in their facilities to promote healing. Exposure to hospital green spaces has been associated with a range of positive health outcomes, including faster recovery from surgery and less need for pain medicine.

Balmorhea State Park pool
Photo by Sonja Sommerfeld

Deep Connection

This past summer, I dropped my son — now 18 and much taller than me — off at college in Arizona. On my drive back to Austin, I took a detour to Balmorhea State Park, a park I had not visited in more than 20 years. Floating in the invigorating waters of the world's largest spring-fed swimming pool, with the Davis Mountains in the distance, I contemplated my future as an empty nester. Using the techniques I learned from my forest bathing outing, I let my senses guide me. I felt fully connected with my surroundings.

Psychologists point to this connection when describing the benefits of nature. While spending any amount of time in nature is valuable, we know that the quality of that time matters as well: The more connected you are with nature, the more you get out of it. Higher levels of biodiversity, indicating healthier ecosystems, have been shown to have particular positive benefits, too. Whether through mindfulness, observation or being present in the moment — they all lead to a deeper connection. Lifting my head out of the water, I took a long, deep breath. And again. And again. Time slowed down. I felt calm and content.

Drying off on a bench, I noticed a fellow visitor who was standing on the diving board, clearly hesitating whether to make the leap. After a few minutes of false starts, he darted forward and jumped in, feet first. Exiting the pool with a smile, he rejoined his family under a shade tree next to me. Ricardo Celaya and his family drove to Balmorhea State Park after an emotional weekend celebrating the life of his mother, who recently passed away. Before everyone went back to their respective lives following her funeral, they all wanted to do something together as a family, and they wanted it to be somewhere outdoors. Celaya, like many of us, sought nature to help him during an emotional time.

“Feeling the warm sun and the cold water, with the mountains in the background, was purifying,” he tells me. “I was in total peace.”

Spending time in nature does not make our problems go away. Personal issues, financial issues — going hiking or running does not make them disappear. But engaging with nature helps us recalibrate, feel restored and look at things from a different perspective.

Nature is a common bond I share with my son Ari, and some of my favorite memories with him are times we spent outdoors. As I settle into my new life, I find myself not only contemplating what my future will look like but his as well. One thing is clear: Our many hikes throughout the years have had a lasting impact on him. In his short time as a college student, he has already taken advantage of the mountains near his campus, hiking and running to recharge. If he decides to return to Texas one day, I am glad he will have plenty of places to explore and enjoy with his own family.


Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine 
Sign up for email updates
Sign up for email updates