If you've ever thought a walk in the park might clear your head, you're not alone. New findings from various researchers reveal that time spent outdoors seems to improve our attention, memory, and mental clarity — benefits that hold true even if you don't particularly enjoy being outside.
The effect first caught researchers' attention back in 2008, according to the New York Times, when 38 University of Michigan students were split into two groups.
One took a 2.8-mile stroll through a quiet arboretum, and the other walked the same distance along busy city streets, and then a week later, the two groups reversed roles and did the opposite. In all outcomes, the individuals performed better on attention and memory testing than before the walk, but the group surrounded by trees and relative quiet saw their memory and focus scores jump by much more — nearly 20%.
Follow-up studies have since suggested that nature reliably helps our brains recover from mental fatigue.
"You didn't even need to like or enjoy the nature walk to get these cognitive benefits," explained Marc Berman, a psychology professor at the University of Chicago and author of "Nature and the Mind." His research builds on what's known as attention restoration theory, which suggests our ability to focus is a limited resource, and that natural environments gently recharge it by engaging the mind in a "softly fascinating" way.
Other scientists are uncovering their theories as to what might be happening behind the scenes.
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A 2024 study led by Amy McDonnell at the University of Utah used brainwave tracking to show that people's brains actually seemed to rest after nature walks, then fired back up stronger when performing mental tasks. As McDonnell put it, "The brain came back online more efficient and stronger than ever after exposure to nature."
Researchers still debate exactly why nature has this effect — whether it's visual patterns, fresh air, quiet solitude, or even the scent of trees. But experts agree on one thing: The outdoors seems to give our brains the kind of break no screen or city street can match. Plus, green spaces have proved to be beneficial to communities, whether it's through offering additional shade and lowering the urban heat island effect, or welcoming pollinators and filtering the air.
We've already seen similar studies suggest that nature is beneficial for our health, whether it's lowering our risk of disease or improving our gut biome. "Something about walking in nature is benefiting our attention," said Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at UC Irvine.
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