In our fast-paced urban lives, finding ways to improve mental health can seem daunting. However, new research suggests that one simple action can make a significant difference: looking at greenery. You don’t need to be in the middle of a forest to benefit—just directing your gaze towards natural elements, even in a bustling city, can enhance your wellbeing.
Our study, published in the journal People and Nature, reveals that merely focusing on nature, rather than actually being in it, can positively impact mental health. Using eye-tracking technology, we explored how concentrating on natural versus man-made elements affects our minds.
City life, with its relentless pace and stress, has long been associated with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. To investigate how different environments influence mental health, our research team recruited 117 adults. Participants were divided into three groups: one focusing on natural elements like trees (green group), one on man-made elements like buildings (grey group), and a third on a mix of both (mixed group).
During a 45-minute guided walk through town and campus, each participant wore eye-tracking glasses. These glasses recorded exactly where participants looked, allowing us to measure how much time they spent gazing at green or grey elements. The route had ten designated stops emphasizing either natural or man-made scenery, depending on the group.
Before and after the walk, participants completed surveys measuring mood, anxiety levels, and the walk’s restorative quality. The results were clear: those who focused on green elements reported significant improvements in mood and reductions in anxiety. They felt more positive and less anxious after the walk, and they also felt more refreshed and rejuvenated. In contrast, the grey group did not experience these improvements, and the mixed group had intermediate results, suggesting that even partial focus on nature can be beneficial.
Implications for Urban Planning
These findings carry important implications for urban planning and mental health practices. Designing urban spaces that include natural elements and encourage people to visually engage with nature could help reduce the mental health burden of city living. Urban planners could prioritize green spaces, tree-lined streets, parks, and ponds that invite people to pause and appreciate natural beauty.
For mental health professionals, these insights offer practical applications. Therapists might incorporate guided attention exercises into treatment, encouraging patients to focus on natural elements during outdoor activities. This simple, cost-effective strategy could complement traditional treatments for anxiety and depression.
Our research underscores the importance of visual engagement with nature, providing strong evidence that mental health benefits are closely tied to where we focus our attention. For the average person, this means an easy way to boost mental health: spend more time looking at trees, flowers, and other natural elements. Whether on your daily commute, during a walk in the park, or on a weekend hike, consciously directing your gaze towards nature can make a significant difference in how you feel.
As urban areas continue to expand, integrating natural elements into cityscapes and encouraging people to engage visually with these elements could play a crucial role in enhancing public wellbeing. Our study highlights that simple, everyday actions can have a profound impact on mental health, offering a hopeful and accessible approach to improving our collective quality of life.
