At Least 17 Minutes of Daily Nature Exposure Boosts Health and Life Satisfaction

Evidence from a British population-based study

Photo by me. November, 2021. Highland Park - Ridgewood Reservoir. Between Brooklyn and Queens, NY.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

-Lao Tzu, the philosopher

In my first Substack post, I discussed some of the health benefits of nature:

Lydia Davis’ Essentials for Good Writing Habits as Applied for Good Mental Health

I also want to highlight a 2021 review paper by Harvard researchers that explores the substantial body of evidence showing the mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature.

But how much time do we really need to spend in nature to reap notable health benefits?

Using data from the UK’s National Statistics - Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment Survey (MENE), researchers from the University of Exeter published their findings in Nature - Scientific Reports in 2019.

Their results suggests that adults who spend at least 120 minutes in nature each week are significantly more likely to report good health and higher life satisfaction compared to those who do not visit natural settings at all.

The study analyzed data from 19,806 individuals in England, who were asked about their health, life satisfaction, and exposure to natural environments (excluding time in one’s own garden) over the previous week.

Key findings

1. People who spent at least 120 minutes in nature in a week reported significantly better health and well-being compared to those who didn't spend any time outdoors. Specifically, those who spent between 120 and 179 minutes in nature had a 59% greater likelihood of feeling good health and a 23% higher chance of overall well-being.

2. Spending only 60 or 90 minutes was not as beneficial as 120 minutes in nature.

3. The 120-minute threshold was consistent across various demographic groups, including age, gender, socioeconomic status, and those with long-term health issues. This suggests that the benefits of nature exposure are widely applicable.

4. Health benefits were evident regardless of whether individuals spent two hours in nature during a single visit or across shorter visits throughout the week.

5. Spending significantly more than two hours in natural environments did not yield additional benefits (see graph below).

   

   The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals of reporting good health and high well-being as a function of nature visit duration in the last 7 days (0 mins = reference category). Note: Adjusted for urbanicity, neighbourhood greenspace, area deprivation, background PM10, sex, age, SES, restricted functioning, physical activity, employment status, relationship status, ethnicity, children in household, dog ownership and year.

6. The impact of spending 120–179 minutes in nature is comparable to other important health determinants, such as living in areas with low deprivation or meeting physical activity guidelines. This underscores the significance of nature exposure as a health-promoting factor.

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the majority of nature visits in this research took place within just two miles of home so even visiting local urban greenspaces seems to be a good thing.

Study limitations

1. Cross-sectional design involved different people each time data was collected. This makes it hard to determine if spending time in nature directly causes better health. Also, the observational nature of the data may suggest that healthier individuals might be more inclined to spend time in nature.

2. The reliance on self-reported measures and a single visit for estimating weekly exposure introduces potential inaccuracies. Future studies should aim for more comprehensive data collection methods.

3. The study categorized health and well-being into just two groups (binary outcomes): “Good” and “Not good.” This oversimplification can hide important details about people's actual health experiences.

Takeaways

→Try to spend at least 120 minutes in nature each week. Sit on a park bench. Enjoy the sight of a tree. Soak in the greenery. This can be broken down into manageable chunks over 7 days.

→Look for opportunities to incorporate nature into your routine—consider walking to a nearby park or enjoying time outside during breaks.

→It’s not about how you reach the two-hour nature exposure goal—whether through long weekend hikes or frequent short visits to local parks. Choose the approach that fits your preferences and circumstances.

Here are several questions to consider this week..

What are your favorite green spaces?

What small changes could you make to incorporate more time outdoors into your routine this week?

How confident do you feel about planning a visit to a green space this week?

What challenges do you anticipate in making time for nature this week?

How can you remind yourself to prioritize time in nature this week?

How does spending time in nature align with your overall values and wellness goals?