A short, regular break in nature can do more for your health than many people think. Research over the past decade shows that about 20 minutes outdoors in a green setting can lower stress hormones, slow heart rate, and nudge blood pressure down. On Thursday 9 October 2025, BBC News highlighted this growing body of evidence and the simple idea behind it: a “nature dose” that fits into a lunch break or a school run. Scientists say the benefits do not require a country hike or specialist gear. A city park, a riverside path or a patch of trees close to home can help people feel calmer and recover from daily strain. Health services and urban planners are taking note as they look for low-cost ways to support physical and mental wellbeing.
Context and timing
The BBC report ran on 9 October 2025, reflecting renewed interest in the health effects of short, routine time outdoors as autumn begins in the UK. The story draws on peer?reviewed studies from the UK, Europe, North America and East Asia, and it arrives as local authorities continue to invest in green corridors, pocket parks and “green social prescribing” schemes.
The 20?minute “nature dose”: what the science indicates
Researchers have tested whether a brief, intentional visit to nature can reduce markers of stress. A 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology reported a significant drop in salivary cortisol after participants spent 20 to 30 minutes in an outdoor green setting. The effect grew with time outside and then began to level off, which suggests a practical “dose” for daily life. Because the researchers tracked people during normal routines, the findings apply beyond laboratory settings.
Other work has looked at how much weekly contact with nature links to better self?reported health. A 2019 study in Scientific Reports found that people who spent at least two hours a week in nature were more likely to report good health and high wellbeing than those who did not. The two-hour total could come from one longer visit or several shorter ones, which gives people flexibility. Together, these studies point to a simple pattern: regular, bite?sized time in green places supports both immediate stress relief and longer-term wellbeing.
How green spaces calm the body’s stress systems
Stress triggers the body’s fight?or?flight response. The sympathetic nervous system activates, the heart speeds up, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise. Natural settings can counter that response. Studies show that time in nature can improve heart rate variability, a sign that the body can switch into a calmer state more easily. Many participants also report improved mood and attention after a short outdoor break.
Scientists suggest several reasons. Natural light helps regulate circadian rhythms and can lift alertness during the day. Plants and trees reduce noise and soften visual clutter, which can clear mental fatigue. In forests, trees release compounds called phytoncides. Studies from Japan have linked exposure to these compounds with relaxation and better immune activity. City parks may not offer the same air chemistry as a dense forest, but they still reduce visual and mental load and give people room to move, breathe and reset.
Blood pressure and heart rate: modest but meaningful shifts
Beyond stress hormones, researchers track vital signs. Reviews of “forest bathing” studies from Japan, South Korea and Europe show small reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after guided walks in wooded areas compared with urban walks. Heart rate also tends to run lower in greener settings. These changes are not dramatic, but they add up when repeated over time, especially for people who face chronic stress.
Scientists caution that activity matters. Walking itself can lower blood pressure, even without trees. However, head?to?head studies often find a larger benefit when people walk in nature rather than along busy roads. Cleaner air, lower noise, cooler temperatures and a calmer mental state likely work together. The takeaway is clear: for the same gentle walk, a leafier route often gives a larger health return.
The UK picture: green prescribing and access to local nature
In England, the NHS and partners have tested “green social prescribing,” which connects people to nature?based activities through link workers. These activities range from guided walks and gardening groups to conservation projects. Early evaluations have reported improvements in wellbeing and reduced loneliness for some participants. The schemes target people who may benefit from social support as well as contact with green spaces.
Access remains uneven. People in deprived areas often live farther from high?quality green space or feel less safe using it. Local councils and charities have tried to close that gap with pocket parks, new trees on residential streets and safer walking routes to existing parks. Natural England’s People and Nature Survey has tracked regular visits to the outdoors since the pandemic, with many people reporting weekly contact with local nature. However, barriers such as time, cost of travel, childcare and disability still limit access for some households.
Practical ways to fit nature into a busy day
You can build a 20?minute nature break into everyday routines. Many people find a short walk in a local park before work, during lunch, or after school works well. You can sit on a bench, read under a tree, or stroll at a comfortable pace. Try to switch off notifications and put the phone away for the full 20 minutes to remove digital stress.
Look for simple cues of nature: birdsong, leaves moving in the wind, water flowing, clouds shifting. If mobility is limited, choose a spot with greenery and open sky and focus on steady breathing. On wet or cold days, take a sheltered route under trees or along a riverside path. Small habits, repeated often, provide the benefits described in the research without special equipment or cost.
What scientists still need to learn
The case for short, regular nature contact looks strong, but important questions remain. Researchers want to map the dose?response curve with more precision: how do benefits differ at 10, 20, 30 or 60 minutes, and how long do the effects last? They also want to test how results vary by setting—woodland, urban park, blue spaces such as rivers and coasts—and by season, weather and air quality. Genetics, fitness, age and cultural background may shape how people respond.
Future studies will need larger, more diverse samples and consistent measures of stress and cardiovascular health. Researchers also note that nature contact does not replace clinical care. It works best as part of a broader approach that includes sleep, movement, diet, social connection and, when needed, medical treatment. Clear guidance and equitable access to safe, nearby green spaces will determine how many people can benefit.
Wrap?up
A short nature break offers a practical, evidence?based way to ease stress and support heart health. Studies show that about 20 minutes in a green setting can lower cortisol, reduce heart rate and nudge blood pressure down, with added gains over a week as time in nature reaches two hours. The benefits come from a mix of factors: gentler light and sound, more pleasant air, and a shift in attention that helps the body calm itself. UK health services and councils have begun to back nature?based activities, but access and safety still vary by neighbourhood. As cities grow, small, close?to?home green places will matter more. For now, the advice from the evidence is simple and practical: plan a short daily spell outdoors, choose the greenest route you can, and make it a habit that fits your life.
