A recent lecture by Gregory Bratman, Ph.D., in the NCCIH’s Integrative Medicine Research Lecture Series highlighted the positive effects of nature upon psychological health. Dr. Bratman noted, “We can say with some degree of certainty that in many cases nature experience benefits mood and cognitive function for urbanites and likely emotion regulation as well, although that’s less studied. This field is new, and there’s a lot of work to be done. [In applying the knowledge we gain], we can recognize our natural systems as vital assets, account for the roles they play in supporting human psychological well-being, and routinely incorporate these values in the decision-making process as we consider how to bring people to nature, and nature to people.”
To access Dr. Bratman’s on-demand video lecture, and others in the Integrative Medicine Research Lecture Series, visit the NIH website.