Let Nature Help You Unwind

Quick Win

Take a nature break to help elevate your mood and reduce stress.

Try This Today

• Get outdoors. Head to a neighborhood park, a nearby nature center or a walking path. If you can bring a friend, even better!
• Take in the sights. Appreciate the colors, textures and diversity of the trees, plants and animals around you.
• Smell the smells. Breathe in the fresh air. Notice the scent of mulch on the ground. Take in the perfume of the flowers.

Why

People in a natural environment such as a forest, river or beach were less likely to be stressed and more likely to enjoy themselves compared to those who stayed indoors. That’s according to a study of 200 adults ages 65 and older published in the Journal of Aging and Environment in 2022. The brain benefits of nature don’t stop there: After just four guided forest outings, people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) significantly improved their score on a cognitive test in a study of 50 adults ages 60 and older published in Psychiatry Investigation in 2026. People who did not do the outings had lower test scores by the end of the trial.