40: Can Nature Really Make You Think More Effectively?

Live an Intentional Life

We all know that nature makes us feel good - think about those amazing feelings of relaxation and awe when you spend time in a beautiful forest.

But does nature help your thinking? Can nature help you think more effectively? In this episode I talk about how nature can help you tackle difficult tasks, and what actually counts as exposure to nature (that sad plant in your office might not be enough).

Here are the main articles used in creating this episode:

Holzman, D., Meletaki, V., Bobrow, I., Weinberger, A., Jivraj, R. F., Green, A., & Chatterjee, A. (2025). Natural beauty and human potential: Examining aesthetic, cognitive, and emotional states in natural, biophilic, and control environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 104, 102591.

Nguyen, L., & Walters, J. (2024). Benefits of nature exposure on cognitive functioning in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of environmental psychology, 96, 102336.

Schertz, K. E., & Berman, M. G. (2019). Understanding nature and its cognitive benefits. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(5), 496-502.

Stevenson, M. P., Schilhab, T., & Bentsen, P. (2018). Attention Restoration Theory II: A systematic review to clarify attention processes affected by exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 21(4), 227-268.

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