<p><em>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</em></p> <p><em>---</em></p> <p>Scientific evidence that spending time in nature has profound impacts on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.</p> <p>We've got something special planned for you today. We're talking about the massive psychological and physiological benefits of being in nature.</p> <p>Nature impacts your mood. It has a whole long list of positive benefits for your nervous system, and even changes how you are with other people. In fact, as you'll hear today's guest say, "nature is healthcare". </p> <p><a href="https://www.dacherkeltner.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr. Dacher Keltner</a> is one of the world's foremost emotion scientists. He is a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the director of the Greater Good Science Center. He has over 200 scientific publications and six books, including Born to Be Good, The Compassionate Instinct, The Power Paradox, and Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. He has written for many popular outlets, from The New York Times to Slate, and has consulted extensively for Google, Apple, and Pinterest, on issues related to emotion and well-being. He also hosts the podcast The Science of Happiness.</p> <p>This is the first of a three-part series we're doing focused on the benefits of spending time outside. Today we talk about how it impacts sleep, cognition, memory, your nervous system, and your relationships. Next week, we address the 80% of Americans who live in urban areas—how do you derive these benefits? And in week three, we take a deep dive on the science of walking. </p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Related Episodes:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.happierapp.com/podcast/tph/dacher-keltner-546" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#546. This Scientist Says One Emotion Might Be the Key to Happiness. Can You Guess What It Is? | Dacher Keltner</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.happierapp.com/podcast/tph/linda-akeson-mcgurk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">We Know Nature Is Good for Us. Here's How To Make Time for It, Scandinavian Style | Linda Åkeson McGurk</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Sign up for Dan's newsletter</strong> <a href="http://www.danharris.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Follow Dan on social:</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3tGigG5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Instagram</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FOA84J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>TikTok</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Ten Percent Happier online</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/46TZglY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>bookstore</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Subscribe to our</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FybRzD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>YouTube Channel</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Our favorite playlists on:</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3Qa8kMT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Anxiety</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3MjtMxF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Sleep</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QvyA5J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Relationships</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QxZASc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Most Popular Episodes</strong></a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href="https://happierapp.com/podcast/tph/dacher-keltner-bonus-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://happierapp.com/podcast/tph/dacher-keltner-bonus-1</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Additional Resources:</strong></p> <p>Download the Happier app today: <a href="https://my.happierapp.com/link/download" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://my.happierapp.com/link/download</a></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Build Daily Nature Moments
Integrate short moments (a few minutes) of connecting with nature into your daily routine, even in urban settings, by intentionally opening your senses to elements like wind, water, colors, or smells. This practice activates ‘goodness’ in the human nervous system and fosters a deeper relationship with nature.
2. Take Intentional Nature Walks
Practice walking in nature with intention, pausing to observe elements like trees, the sky, and clouds, and consider ritualizing these walks. This helps calm the mind and body, improving attention, focus, and overall well-being.
3. Reflect on Moral Beauty
Cultivate awe by reflecting on acts of moral beauty, such as the kindness, courage, or resilience of others (e.g., family members, public figures, or everyday generosity). This can provoke pro-social behavior like sharing and cooperation, moving from self-interest to thinking about others.
4. Get Daily Natural Light
Expose your skin to natural light for about 20 minutes a day to help regulate your circadian rhythm, which is crucial for improving sleep patterns and overall physical and mental health.
5. Engage in Gardening
Participate in gardening activities like raking or planting to foster a close relationship with nature and enjoy its benefits. This practice can calm the body, reduce cortisol, and indirectly benefit sleep patterns.
6. Acquire All-Weather Outdoor Gear
Invest in appropriate outdoor clothing and gear, such as insulated jackets, to enable you to spend time outside comfortably regardless of weather conditions. This allows for consistent access to nature’s benefits, even when the weather is challenging.
7. Watch Nature Documentaries/Images
When direct access to nature is limited, view nature documentaries (e.g., BBC Earth, Richard Attenborough films) or beautiful images of nature. This can still provide psychological benefits, cultivate a sense of awe, and calm the mind.
8. Contemplate in National Parks
When visiting national parks, engage in contemplative practices by pausing to observe specific elements, listen to water, smell trees, or take an ‘awe walk’ or ’nature walk.’ This transforms the visit into a sacred experience, fostering reverence for the natural world.
9. Lead Outdoor Team Activities
For leaders, organize outdoor activities like camping, mountain trips, or even walks in nature with your team or mentees. This fosters shared awe, solidifies team bonds, improves collaboration, and enhances relationships.
10. Take Short Nature Breaks
Incorporate short breaks (e.g., five minutes an hour) to step outside and observe nature, such as looking at clouds. This practice can calm the mind, improve focus, and enhance intellectual performance, especially for students.
11. Seek Wildlife Encounters
Actively seek encounters with wildlife in nature (e.g., large animals like bears). This can cultivate humility, reverence for the power of nature, and a sense of common spirit with other species.
Engage in eye contact with other species, such as pets or wildlife, to potentially experience a burst in oxytocin levels. This neuropeptide is associated with trust, communion, and connection, fostering a sense of common spirit.