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We've known intuitively for centuries that spending time in nature can give us a boost. But it’s only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our mood and our minds. This week, psychologist Marc Berman explores how spending time in nature can actually undo some of the harmful effects of our modern lives.
Duration
1h 8m
Broadcast on
03 Nov 2025
Audio Format
other

We've known intuitively for centuries that spending time in nature can give us a boost. But it’s only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our mood and our minds. This week, psychologist Marc Berman explores how spending time in nature can actually undo some of the harmful effects of our modern lives.

Do you have follow-up questions, comments, or stories about nature's effect on the mind after listening to this episode? If you'd be comfortable sharing your thoughts with the Hidden Brain audience, please record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us at [email protected]. Use the subject line nature. Thanks!  

 


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Feeling a little frazzled as 2025 comes to a close? Put your to-do list on pause and join me for an evening of science, storytelling and connection. I'm bringing Hidden Brain's perceptions tour to the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on November 22nd. I'll be sharing seven key psychological insights from the first decade of the show. To get your tickets, go to hiddenbrain.org/tour. I'm also excited to announce that we're adding more dates to the tour for 2026. I'll be in Philadelphia on March 21st and New York City on March 25th. Hidden Brain listeners get first-cracket tickets to those shows. The pre-sale begins at 3 p.m. Eastern on November 3rd and runs through November 5th. To get your tickets to our 2026 shows, go to hiddenbrain.org/tour and use the promo code "brain". No promo code is needed after November 5th. I hope to see you there, and here's today's show. This is Hidden Brain. I'm Shankar Vedanta. When we're facing struggles with our thoughts or our emotions, many of us turn first to medication or therapy as solutions. The share of American adults reporting they took prescription drugs for mental health conditions stood at 19% in 2022. That's according to an analysis of government data by the Kaiser Family Foundation. That's millions of people taking drugs for anxiety, for depression, for attention deficit disorder. Millions more are in therapy, working through their challenges with a counselor. For many people, such measures are enormously helpful, even essential. At the same time, it may be the case that we are overlooking a potential source of relief that is literally right outside our door. This remedy costs nothing, has no known side effects, and is often delightfully pleasant. We are talking about spending time in nature. The capacity of the natural world to soothe and refresh our sensibilities has been known for centuries. But it's only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our moods and our minds. Nature is filled with curved edges, and one thing that we've found in our research is that people really like images that have more curved edges, even built images. So images of architectural scenes that don't have any nature in them, if the architecture has more curved edges, people tend to like that architecture more. If you struggle with the ability to think clearly, to focus your attention, to control maladaptive behaviors, this episode and a companion story on Hidden Brain Plus are definitely for you. Why Nature is Good Medicine, this week on Hidden Brain. Working as a dedicated fidelity advisor, I always ask, what's important to you? I'll look at those priorities and goals alongside your full financial picture to build a comprehensive plan designed to help grow and protect your wealth. With proactive portfolio insights and an eye on taxes, I'm here to help you make the most of your money. I'm Laura Maxwell, and I'm a dedicated fidelity advisor. Learn more at fidelity.com/wealth. Investment minimum supply, Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC member NYSE SIPC. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Defender. Even the boldest journey starts small, with a single decision to go somewhere new. The Defender 110 is a vehicle built for those moments, for drivers capable of great things, whether they're headed toward uncharted territory or just a weekend away. The Defender 110 combines on-road presence with off-road capability. It looks tough because it is, with an exterior engineered for durability.

Transcription truncated.

We've known intuitively for centuries that spending time in nature can give us a boost. But it’s only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our mood and our minds. This week, psychologist Marc Berman explores how spending time in nature can actually undo some of the harmful effects of our modern lives.