Bringing Nature Indoors

As winter settles in, many of us find ourselves spending more time indoors. Shorter days and colder temperatures can make it harder to get outside, but that doesn’t mean we have to lose our connection to nature. In fact, even small doses of nature, brought indoors or found close to home offer meaningful benefits for our minds. Studies continue to show that interacting with nature, even in small ways, supports emotional resilience throughout the winter months.

Research shows that our brains evolved in natural environments, and because of that cues from nature help restore focus and lower stress. Attention Restoration Theory suggests that natural environments allow our directed attention to rest and recover, improving mental clarity and reducing cognitive fatigue. This means that bringing nature indoors isn’t just about decoration, it’s a small but powerful way to support mental health during the darker, quieter months.

Grow lights are an easy way to help plants thrive indoors, bringing their many green benefits. Photo by Anna Smith.

One simple way to invite nature into your daily routine is with plants. Whether they’re real or artificial, greenery can create a sense of ease and calm, with indoor plants shown to reduce both physiological stress and perceived anxiety. You can also incorporate nature through sound. Just ten minutes of listening to birdsong, flowing water, or wind through pines can shift your nervous system toward relaxation and improve mood.

Using tree trunks to build dividers and construction techniques to make curved walls make for natural inspirations. Photo by Anna Smith.

Design elements inspired by nature can have similar effects. Curved shapes, soft lines, and fractal patterns are easier for the brain to process than sharp geometry. Research on “biophilic design” shows that these subtle cues can reduce stress, improve concentration, and support overall wellbeing.

As short a time as 20 minutes outdoors can bring benefits. Photo at Long Lake Conservation Center by Anna Smith.

And when you do bundle up to head outside, even a short walk through a tree-lined street or snow-covered green space can lift your mood and sharpen memory. Spending as little as 20 minutes outdoors has been linked to lower stress hormones and improved cognitive function. Nature doesn’t need to be far away or dramatic to make a difference. Even in the cold and quiet of winter, it’s still here to support us. By bringing small pieces of the outdoors inside, we can stay grounded, resilient, and connected until spring returns.

Check out this podcast for more information: Hidden Brain- How Nature Heals Us

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