How nature boosts mental health

Nature prescriptions are tailored plans for time outside—walking in a park, meditating, or playing basketball. Providers who take outdoor breaks during the workday reported issuing more nature prescriptions. A Houston study is underway where doctors and nurses plant and tend to tree saplings outside a clinic to test relief of burnout and stress.

Indoor exposure is cited as helpful: in a hospital setting, post‑surgery patients with window views of trees and green space were discharged after fewer days compared with patients without such views. City options mentioned include tree‑lined streets for shade in extreme heat, converting vacant lots to parks, expanding community gardens, and adding calming blue spaces like fountains or ponds.

Interview reference: WWF – How nature boosts mental health.