Nature exposure and mental health

Most studies consider any interaction with nature as exposure, such as a hike, being in a forest or a place with water (e.g. lake, beach), going on a walk in a park, etc.

These can increase brain activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, which becomes deactivated when a person is feeling anxious or depressed.

Studies show that the interaction of older adults with nature can be linked to better moods, decreased chance of depression, reduced stress levels and improved cognitive function.

[9] Cognition refers to all forms of knowing and awareness, such as perceiving, conceiving, remembering, reasoning, judging, imagining, and problem solving.

[11] An attentional-control experiment made by Australian researchers asked college students to participate in a dull, attention-draining task in which they had to press a computer key when they saw certain numbers flash on the screen.

This has been found persistently through a backward digital span task, in which participants are told to repeat sequences of numbers (which vary in length) in reverse order.