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Can’t get outside? Science says even brief glimpses of nature imagery can lift your mood, soothe stress, and boost your brainpower!

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Many years back in the latter stages of my PhD, I procrastinated by distracting myself with web-based psychology resources. I even started cataloguing them and had sites built for me that showcased those catalogues (they unfortunately no longer exist).

Someone I remember encountering at the time was David Webb who ran the All About Psychology website. He recently moved his work to a substack and has an amazing site and newsletter that anyone with a passing interest in the topic of psychology will find interesting. It is on my regular reading list.

He recently published a great overview of nature imagery and wellbeing. Key takeaways include:

• Nature imagery improves mood and reduces stress, even with brief exposure.
• Viewing nature scenes can restore attention and enhance cognitive performance after mental fatigue.
• Healthcare environments using nature visuals see improved patient outcomes, including reduced pain and anxiety.
• Practical settings (workplaces, prisons, schools) benefit significantly from nature imagery interventions.
• When outdoor access is limited, virtual nature experiences still provide substantial mental health benefits.

It got me thinking about relatively simple ways to get more nature into your everday life, without necessarily needing to set up camp in the wild. So here are 5 suggested ways to get more nature into your everyday life.

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1️⃣ Daily Nature Breaks
Take brief breaks (5-10 mins) during your day to view photos or videos of forests, beaches, or other serene scenes. It reduces stress and improves mood quickly.

2️⃣Nature-Based Screensavers and Backgrounds
Set images of forests, oceans, or mountains as your desktop or phone wallpaper. These passive exposures can boost cognitive function and help manage stress levels.

3️⃣Use Virtual Nature Experiences
When you can’t physically get outdoors, watching immersive nature videos or virtual reality scenes can significantly reduce stress and anxiety—especially helpful in confined environments.

4️⃣Incorporate Nature Art Indoors
Hang nature-based artwork or photographs in your home, workspace, or study area. Even artificial representations of nature improve psychological comfort and overall well-being.

5️⃣Take Short, Frequent Nature Viewing Breaks
Briefly looking at nature imagery multiple times throughout the day (even just a minute or two) accumulates meaningful mental health benefits, enhancing relaxation and cognitive clarity.

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For me, I surround myself with a lot of plants. The downside of this approach is that you then have lots of plants to look after which I admit, can cause a different kind of stress. But perhaps you can look at these and get the desired effect, without the work 😂

If you’ve found a cool way to get more nature into your everyday life, please consider sharing in the comments below.

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