Back when my kids were little, they wanted a treehouse. But living in North Miami Beach at the time, there weren’t many sturdy oaks around. Just clusters of palm trees. So, I improvised.
I built a “next-to-the-trees-treehouse”—nestled in a copse of palms. They loved it!
We also had a lagoon-style pool with a waterfall, and I installed an outdoor showerhead near the trees. That way my family and our guests could shower in nature whenever we got in or out of the pool.
And you know what?
Everyone who spent time in that yard felt better by the time they left. Happier. Calmer. More relaxed.
That’s the magic of nature!
🌳Nature Heals—In More Ways Than One
It has been proven over and over again that being around trees and greenery:
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Boosts mood and mental clarity
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves your immune system
- Fights depression
- Supports lung health and eases respiratory conditions like asthma
- Even helps reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes
In fact, greenery even allows many people to reduce dependence on drugs used for anxiety, depression, insomnia, blood pressure and asthma.
Plus, it helps decrease sympathetic nervous activity, which is activated during the flight-or-fight response – a response we all go through more frequently than we realize, and totally stresses us out.
I recommend going outside and enjoying nature as often as you can. But there’s even more you can do to get the health benefit of trees and greenery.
👀 Here’s the Wild Part…
You don’t even have to be in nature to benefit from it. Studies show that patients who just look at greenery from a hospital window can:
- Lower pain levels and require fewer potent pain meds
- Reduce hospital-related stress and anxiety
- Leave the hospital around three days sooner than patients without a view
I think this is amazing.
Plus, you can easily bring the outside in.
🌿Easy Ways to Create an Indoor Oasis
I have greenery in my office. There are plants in my house with varying greens and other colors. I even have fresh cut flowers in my home, along with stunning Ansel Adams photographs of spring flowers blooming in the mountains.
All of these touches of nature make my home feel like it’s more than just four walls and some furniture. It’s not a “residence,” it’s an oasis.
And there are so many ways you can bring nature into your house, too.
- Add potted plants throughout your space
- Grow herbs in a sunny kitchen window
- Hang art featuring natural landscapes or flowers
- Let natural light in—open those blinds and windows
- Listen to nature sounds at night (crickets, rain, ocean waves)
- Use essential oils like pine, cypress, or juniper to scent your space with the outdoors
These little touches can make a big difference in your stress levels and how you feel each day.
Get outside whenever you can. And when you can’t—surround yourself with the sights, sounds, and scents of nature for a more relaxed and stress-free life.
SOURCES:
Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Kasetani T, Kagawa T, Miyazaki Y. The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environ Health Prev Med. 2010 Jan;15(1):18-26.
Turunen AW, Halonen J, Korpela K, Ojala A, Pasanen T, Siponen T, Tiittanen P, Tyrväinen L, Yli-Tuomi T, Lanki T. Cross-sectional associations of different types of nature exposure with psychotropic, antihypertensive and asthma medication. Occup Environ Med. 2023 Feb;80(2):111-118.
Mueller W, Milner J, Loh M, Vardoulakis S, Wilkinson P. Exposure to urban greenspace and pathways to respiratory health: An exploratory systematic review. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jul 10;829:154447.
Astell-Burt, et al. Association of Urban Green Space With Mental Health and General Health Among Adults in Australia. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(7):e198209.
Yang BY, Markevych I, Bloom MS, Heinrich J, Guo Y, Morawska L, Dharmage SC, Knibbs LD, Jalaludin B, Jalava P, Zeng XW, Hu LW, Liu KK, Dong GH. Community greenness, blood pressure, and hypertension in urban dwellers: The 33 Communities Chinese Health Study. Environment International. Volume 126, May 2019, Pages 727-734.
De la Fuente F, Saldías MA, Cubillos C, Mery G, Carvajal D, Bowen M, Bertoglia MP. Green Space Exposure Association with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Physical Activity, and Obesity: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 25;18(1):97.
Ulrich RS. View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science. 1984 Apr 27;224(4647):420-1.
Park S, Mattson RH. Therapeutic Influences of Plants in Hospital Rooms on Surgical Recovery. HortScience. 2009; 44(1), 102-105.
