The Healing Power of Nature: Why Time Outside Matters for Nurses

As nurses and healthcare workers, we spend most of our days indoors—on our feet, under fluorescent lights, answering call bells, and responding to the nonstop needs of others. It’s demanding, fulfilling, and often emotionally intense.

But amid the pace and pressure, many of us forget something simple and powerful: stepping outside can help us come back to ourselves.

Nature isn’t a luxury—it’s medicine. And for nurses who give so much of their time and energy to others, even a few minutes outdoors can make a meaningful difference in how we think, feel, and function.

Why Nature Matters for Nurses

Research has long supported what many of us instinctively know: time in nature helps lower stress, improve mood, and support physical health. But for healthcare professionals, the benefits are even more pronounced.

• Mental Reset: Exposure to natural environments—even just for 10–15 minutes—can reduce cortisol levels, improve focus, and ease mental fatigue.

• Emotional Release: Nature provides quiet and perspective, helping nurses process heavy emotions that often accumulate throughout a shift.

• Nervous System Regulation: Fresh air, natural light, and open space help shift our bodies out of a constant state of “fight or flight.”

• Connection to Self: In caregiving roles, it’s easy to lose sight of your own needs. Nature gives you space to check in, breathe deeply, and remember that you're a human being—not just a healthcare professional.

  
  

Small Ways to Bring Nature Back Into Your Life

You don’t need a mountain hike or a cottage weekend to feel the impact of nature. Here are a few ways to invite it into your everyday routine—even on your busiest weeks.

1. Step Outside During Breaks

If you can, take your coffee or lunch break outdoors. Even a walk around the building or a few quiet minutes in a green space can refresh your body and mind. Don’t underestimate how restorative it can be to feel the sun on your face or hear the sound of birds between shifts.

2. Commute with Intention

If you walk or bike to work, try leaving a few minutes earlier so you can slow down and be present. Notice the trees, the sky, the rhythm of your breath. If you drive, park farther away and take a moment to breathe deeply before heading inside.

3. Start or End Your Day with Nature

Spend five minutes with your feet in the grass, watering plants, or sitting on a balcony. These rituals don’t need to be long—they just need to be consistent. They create space for reflection, reset, and calm.

4. Use Nature as a Recovery Tool

After a tough shift or emotionally draining week, plan something simple outdoors: a walk by water, time in a local park, or even tending to a garden. Let nature be the place where you decompress, process, and recover.

5. Bring Nature to Work

If stepping out isn’t possible, bring nature in. Keep a small plant at your workstation. Use a calming nature scene as your phone background. Listen to ocean waves or birdsong during documentation. These subtle reminders can offer a sense of grounding, even indoors.

Nature Helps Us Show Up Better

When we care for ourselves in meaningful ways—like connecting with nature—we’re better equipped to care for others. Time outside isn’t indulgent; it’s restorative. It helps us regulate our emotions, return to work with more clarity, and show up with genuine presence.

Especially in roles where you're constantly giving, being outdoors is one of the few ways to refill your cup quietly, without demands or expectations.

You Deserve to Breathe

Nature doesn’t require productivity, performance, or emotional labour. It simply offers space—to breathe, to feel, to be. And for nurses, that space can be life-giving.

So this season, let yourself step outside. Let the sun reset you. Let the wind untangle your thoughts. Let the stillness of trees or the movement of water remind you that you are allowed to rest, too.

At Plan A, they believe caring for nurses means encouraging balance beyond the workplace. Whether it’s flexible scheduling or environments that support well-being, we’re here to help healthcare professionals find rhythm, rest, and renewal—inside and outside the job.