The outdoor effect: How nature boosts well-being

Key takeaways

• Green spaces and blue spaces are more than natural amenities. Increasing research suggests they may contribute to improved physical health, lower stress levels, enhanced well-being, and greater overall quality of life.
• As wealth grows, many individuals begin prioritizing experiences, wellness, and lifestyle design alongside traditional financial goals. Access to nature can be an important component of that equation.
• Whether through travel, a primary residence, a vacation home, or retirement planning, financial resources can create greater opportunities to spend time in restorative natural environments.
• Thoughtful investments in outdoor living spaces, gardens, water features, and nature-focused communities may enhance everyday enjoyment and support long-term well-being.
• Time in nature can also become part of a family’s legacy, providing opportunities for shared experiences, multigenerational traditions, and values-based conversations around stewardship and conservation.
• A comprehensive wealth plan should help support not only financial success, but also the lifestyle, experiences, and sense of purpose you want to enjoy throughout your lifetime.

“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you have ever taken a mountain hike, enjoyed a breezy walk on the beach, or relaxed lakeside taking in the views, you have likely experienced the calming effects of nature, and more specifically of green spaces and blue spaces.

Defining green space and blue space

Green space refers to land areas covered in grass, trees, bushes, and other vegetation. Common green spaces include parks, community gardens, and forests. Blue space refers to visible, accessible bodies of water, including lakes, rivers, ponds, coastlines, and even bubbling fountains. You don’t necessarily need to go far to find and feel the benefits of green and blue space exposure.

The health benefits of nature

Nature has long been appreciated for its therapeutic value. Some ancient civilizations created elaborate gardens to provide their communities with relaxing, meditative spaces. Eastern countries including India and China have practices like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine that prescribe time in nature with a focus on fresh air, movement and meditation in natural settings.

Modern medicine embraces the healing value of time spent in nature, as noted in several recent studies. A Utah State University article explores the health benefits of time spent in nature. Additionally, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine touts the heart health benefits of elements in nature, citing a study on the protective effect of having access to urban blue and green spaces on coronary artery calcification.

The National Institutes of Health has conducted research on the impact of green and blue spaces on overall health and mortality. The resulting data was promising. “We find that green space exposure is associated with reduced all-cause mortality, mortality from cardiovascular diseases, incidence of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, low birth weight, and mental health improvements. Blue spaces also show positive associations with beneficial health outcomes, including reduced obesity rates and improved psychological well-being.”

More on well-being and mental health

The World Wildlife Fund explored the mental health benefits of time in nature. Dr. Stacey Beller Stryer, noted that time around nature decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression, strengthens well-being, and lowers stress, sharing that time in nature significantly decreases cortisol levels.

Stryer also shared that in terms of physical health, some studies have associated time spent in nature with improvements in blood pressure and other health indicators. “For example, there have been studies of forest bathing, a mindfulness practice focused on engaging one’s senses in a natural setting, that have taken blood samples from participants before and after.”

The relatively new concept of forest therapy is rooted in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yuku, first defined in 1982. The Cleveland Clinic noted that early research on the practice of forest bathing has been positive, with studies suggesting associations with lower cortisol levels and a positive impact on oxygen levels in the brain.

The mental health and well-being benefits of green and blue space have also been highlighted by the American Psychological Association (APA). The key findings include cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health, and well-being associates with time spent in nature highlighting that similar benefits result from feeling connected to nature.

“Both green spaces and blue spaces (aquatic environments) produce well-being benefits. More remote and biodiverse spaces may be particularly helpful, though even urban parks and trees can lead to positive outcomes.”

Bringing green space and blue space home

Whether you live in an urban city setting, sprawling suburban neighborhood, or rural retreat, there are ways to bring green space and blue space into your environment. To create green spaces, consider incorporating native plants, garden beds, or vertical planters into your yard or on balconies. For calming blue spaces, integrating water features like fountains, small container ponds, or birdbaths can bring the restorative properties of water to your home. Incorporating more green and blue elements into your environment may also invite more of Mother Nature’s creatures into your space. And this may have an additive effect on your well-being.

The APA noted that even the sounds of nature can be recuperative. More elemental green and blue space may increase the sounds of nature just outside your door. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service noted a recent rise of birdwatching in America. Apps like Merlin Bird ID from Cornell University make it even easier to get outside and enjoy nature by providing real-time identification through sound. Whether you want to incorporate more green and blue spaces into your environment or venture out to spend more time outside, a greater connection to nature can offer meaningful benefits for both well-being and quality of life.

Talk with your wealth advisor about:

1. How vacation planning may fit into your wealth plan.
2. Would buying a second home with more green space or waterfront access be financially feasible without affecting our long-term goals?

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