How Spending Time in Nature Can Sharpen Your Focus

In a 2008 study at the University of Michigan, 38 students participated in a walking experiment. Half of the group walked 2.8 miles through Ann Arbor’s Nichols Arboretum, while the other half covered the same distance along the bustling downtown streets. One week later, the groups exchanged routes.

Before each walk, participants completed a test designed to evaluate their attention and working memory by recalling progressively longer sequences of numbers in reverse order. After their walks, they retook the test. While walking in the city led to a modest improvement, those who walked in the natural environment showed nearly a 20 percent increase in their test scores.

According to the lead researcher, the cognitive boost from nature was consistent regardless of whether participants enjoyed the walk or not. The benefits were observed equally on a chilly January day as on a warm summer afternoon.

Numerous studies have since explored how exposure to green spaces influences mental functions, commonly finding that time spent in nature enhances cognitive abilities, creativity, and mood.

Many people have personally experienced nature’s restorative effects — such as gaining clarity after reaching a mountain summit or regaining focus following a brief walk in a park. Researchers continue to investigate the mechanisms behind these mental rejuvenations.

In his recent book, "Nature and the Mind," the researcher explains these benefits through the lens of "attention restoration theory." Originally proposed in the 1980s by psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, this theory suggests that our capacity to concentrate is limited and easily depleted, but spending time in natural surroundings can effectively replenish this mental resource.