People who feel close to nature feel more alive
Across 30 samples, people who feel more connected to nature tend to report more vitality, positive mood, and life satisfaction.
People who feel more connected to nature tend to report more vitality, more positive mood, and greater life satisfaction.
The study
This meta-analysis combined 30 samples with more than 8,500 people and looked at how connected people felt to the natural world alongside measures of happiness. The relationship was small but significant. Vitality had the strongest link, followed by positive mood and life satisfaction. The studies describe an association, not cause and effect.
Starting small
A connection to nature can grow from small moments. Pausing to notice a tree, the sky, or birdsong on a daily walk, and maybe noting it in a journal, is one way to build it.