Have you ever been awed by the beauty of a mountain or ocean? Have you ever been excited to see a wild animal in its natural habitat? Have you ever stopped to admire a lovely flower or tree? If so, you will understand how nature can impact our wellbeing. 

By nature, we mean the natural world and the nested ecosystems within it. This is the “non-built” world of water, air, earth, vegetation, and animals. Humans are part of nature and interact constantly with it in many ways—on the molecular and the larger systems level.

This interaction is deeply beneficial to humans, especially with the growing prevalence of depression caused by “nature deprivation,” which is largely due to increasing time spent in front of televisions and computers. Apart from meeting some of our most basic needs, nature relaxes and refreshes us.