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‘It’s a great healer’: why being outdoors in nature means so much to us
environment

‘It’s a great healer’: why being outdoors in nature means so much to us

The Guardian Environment · May 31, 2026, 10:00 AM

Key takeaways

  • Readers say being outside is calming and therapeutic and decreases anxiety.
  • The replies – heartfelt and passionate – came flooding in, with some admitting they just did not have the words to say how important it is.
  • “It’s my happy place, my therapy and a reason to slow down and pause during my busy week,” wrote Hannah Powell from Perrywood garden centres. “I HAVE to look at plants every day.

Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.

Readers say being outside is calming and therapeutic and decreases anxiety. Photograph: robertharding/Alamy View image in fullscreen Readers say being outside is calming and therapeutic and decreases anxiety. Photograph: robertharding/Alamy Wildlife‘It’s a great healer’: why being outdoors in nature means so much to us Many of those who love spending time in Britain’s green places say it is awe-inspiring, calming and therapeutic

Prefer the Guardian on Google As a recent study revealed almost half of UK adults now spend less than three hours a week in natural settings such as gardens, parks, fields or woods, we asked readers to tell us about what being outside means to them.

The replies – heartfelt and passionate – came flooding in, with some admitting they just did not have the words to say how important it is.

Article preview — originally published by The Guardian Environment. Full story at the source.
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