Life isn’t always all sunshine and rainbows: More than one in ten American adults report that they feel depressed. But research increasingly suggests that just spending some time outdoors can help reduce your risk of feeling blue. For instance, people who engage in any nature-based activity — whether it’s gardening, walking in a wooded area or green space, or hiking — at least once a month are less likely to experience depressive symptoms, according to a 2025 study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Doing so can be free and easily accessed right outside your front door.

“Being outdoors activates your parasympathetic nervous system [the part of the brain that helps calm you],’” says Jenny Martin, PsyD, a psychologist in East Lansing, Michigan. “It reduces levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. As a result, your heart rate slows, your blood pressure decreases, and you’re able to be in a more mindful state, which is protective against depression.”

And here’s a new twist for our digital era: Promising new research suggests that you don’t even need to step foot outdoors to get nature’s benefits. Hala Darwish, an associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, is exploring whether a virtual reality nature walk can provide similar mood-boosting benefits among those who live with multiple sclerosis (MS). “Many patients with MS have mobility challenges that make it hard for them to get outdoors,” she explains. “The hope is we can offer them the benefits of nature while they’re at home, to help their mental health.” 

Darwish is currently recruiting for the trial, which uses virtual reality headsets, thanks to the Nightingale Award, a grant administered by the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses (IOMSN).

If the results of the study pan out, Darwish thinks there are broader implications. “Virtual-reality nature may become a lifeline for many of us who don’t have MS but can’t get outside during the winter,” she says. “As humans, we have a primal need to connect with nature. It’s fundamentally linked to our overall mental health and wellbeing.”

Indeed, to maximize nature’s mood-improving properties, many psychologists now offer “walk-and-talk therapy.” “I meet up with clients at a rail trail in my town,” says Rebecca Wilson, LCSW, a psychotherapist in Southington, Connecticut. “I find that when my patients move their bodies outdoors, it helps them process difficult emotions and express them. Plus, they get exercise, which is another activity that boosts mental health.”

You don’t have to drive for dozen of miles to a heavily wooded area or hike for hours to reap nature’s mood-lifting effects. You’ll benefit simply from being outdoors, says Martin. She recommends that you try to get outside to sit in your backyard (it’s okay to be in the moment vs. always being productive) or take a leisurely stroll for at least ten to fifteen minutes every day. But more is better, if you can—research suggests that people who spend at least 120 minutes a week outdoors reap the most mental-health benefits.

Some more specifics:

“Exposure to natural sunlight in the first couple hours after you wake up helps to regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle,” explains Wilson. Bonus: This helps you slumber better at night, which will also help improve your mood.

Gardening itself boosts your mental health, quality of life, and overall health, according to a 2024 review of 40 studies published in the journal BMC Systematic Reviews. Wilson recommends a pre- or post-dinner “weed walk” where you can admire your garden while you pull any stray weeds.

Even if you just walk up and down your street, you have an opportunity to admire your neighbors’ landscaping and even chat with them for a moment, too. “Social connections can improve your mood by combating loneliness,” says Wilson. “It’s also a bonus to pair social activity with this gentle movement and outdoor time.”

For days that you can’t get outside, Wilson recommends that you sit in front of a large window for 5-10 minutes and practice some deep breathing. “Use your senses to experience nature unfolding — see the squirrel scurry to grab the acorn, the breeze rustle the leaves, and hear the birds chirping in the trees,” she suggests.

“Since you’ll need to fill the bird feeder regularly, it will encourage you to get outside more,” says Wilson. You can also watch the birds, either outside or inside, from your “sit spot.”

If you're looking for a way to shake off the blues, it doesn't get much easier or more enjoyable than that.