The Role of Nature and Awe in Creating a Calmer Mind

04.03.26

It’s no secret amongst people who know me that I love getting out in nature. Whether it’s a walk around the park before work, or a multiday hike in the middle of nowhere – nothing recharges me like being outside.

Weirdly though, when those especially fond of their creature comforts ask me what I get out of it, I have often struggled to describe why. It’s not just the fresh air (though that does feel great). It’s not even the sense of achievement that you get when you’ve toiled up a mountain and are rewarded with a great view (though that’s getting closer).

Sometimes, the best I can do is something like: “it’s that feeling of being suddenly aware of how vast, how complex, and how wonderful the world is, outside of me”. It wasn’t until I came across a description in a psychology paper that I realised what I was feeling – the emotion of awe. As it turns out, awe can be an especially powerful emotion to cultivate in our day-to-day lives.

What is Awe, Psychologically Speaking?

Awe is the emotion we experience when we encounter something that feels vast or expansive. Something that momentarily expands our usual way of seeing the world. It might be a sweeping landscape, but it can also be something simple: light filtering through leaves, the size of an old tree trunk, the movement of clouds across the sky.

From a psychological perspective, awe has a distinct effect on attention. It pulls us out of narrow, self-focused thinking and into a broader frame of reference. Time often feels slower. Problems feel less all-consuming. The nervous system shifts away from threat and urgency toward a more regulated state.

Importantly, awe doesn’t erase difficulty. It doesn’t make stress disappear or solve problems. What it does change is how we hold those problems. Awe gives us perspective, allowing us space and flexibility in our response to challenges.

Why Nature is Especially Effective at Evoking Awe

Nature offers a unique combination of qualities that the human nervous system responds to well:

Vastness: in scale, age, or continuity
Accessible fascination: where our attention is held without effort
Non-demanding presence: with no expectation to respond or perform

Unlike digital environments, nature doesn’t compete for attention or ask anything of us. This makes it particularly effective at interrupting cognitive overload and emotional fatigue.

Whilst awe can arise from art, music, or human connection, natural environments are a reliable source of awe, even in small, everyday forms.

The Power of Green Micro-moments

Whilst the power of dedicated nature bathing is well documented, green micro-moments refer to brief, low-effort moments of contact with nature woven into daily life. These are not immersive experiences or multi-day walks. They are moments measured in minutes.

Examples include:

Noticing a tree on your street
Looking out a window at greenery
Sitting near plants during a break
Pausing to watch the sky change

Research suggests that these exposures to nature help reduce mental fatigue, support emotional regulation, and improve mood. One study found that even one minute of exposure to nature whilst on a 15min walk might be enough to gain benefit (though 30 minutes is more likely to be enduringly helpful)!

It’s not that everything is ‘fixed’ after a few minutes. More that these moments accumulate and, over time, form a buffer against stress.

For people who feel time-poor, overstimulated, or are restricted in mobility, green micro-moments offer a more realistic and accessible way to care for mental wellbeing.

How Awe and Micro-moments Work Together

Green micro-moments are often dismissed because they seem “too small” to matter. Awe explains why they do.

A single tree may not feel impressive at first glance. But when we slow down enough to notice its size, age, or complexity, awe can emerge. That moment of awe, even if brief, shifts attention and nervous system state.

In this way, green micro-moments create the conditions for awe, and awe amplifies their psychological impact.

It’s not the duration that matters most. It’s the quality of attention.

Awe as an Antidote to Rumination

One of the most compelling findings in awe research is its effect on worrying and self-focus. When people experience awe, they tend to:

Spend less time looping or ruminating on worries
Feel more connected to others and the world
Experience greater psychological spaciousness

For those who struggle with anxiety, burnout, or perfectionism, this shift can be especially relieving. But it’s not about distracting us from ourselves. Instead, awe puts our worries and experiences in a broader perspective, offering a wider frame in which our thoughts and emotions can settle.

You Don’t Need “Perfect” Nature

A common barrier people face is the belief that nature-based benefits require pristine environments, forests, or retreats. In reality, the nervous system responds to sights of ‘good enough green’, not perfection.

Urban parks, street trees, balcony plants, and even glimpses of greenery from indoors all count. What matters is not where you are, but whether you allow yourself to notice.

Letting go of the idea that nature has to look a certain way can make these moments more accessible and frequent.

Inviting Awe into Everyday Life

Awe can’t be forced, but it can be invited through small actions. Why not try:

Leaving devices behind during short walks
Allowing yourself to stop without an agenda (literally ‘stop and smell the roses’!)
Looking up, out, or around rather than down when outside
If you’re in a familiar place with greenery, try and spot something new you haven’t noticed before
Lingering when something catches your attention
If you’d like a bit more help learning how to pay attention in this way, this is a simple exercise you can do with a leaf that is an excellent introduction.

These are not productivity tools. They are moments of orientation — reminders that life is larger than our internal monologue.

A Final Reflection

In a world that constantly competes for our attention with ever brighter, flashier inputs, awe generated by nature offers a grounding reset. Green micro-moments remind us that this perspective doesn’t require significant escapism or effort — only intention and attention.

Sometimes, the smallest encounters with nature are enough to remind us that we are part of something bigger. And in those moments, your mind, like mine, might find a little more room to breathe.

If you like the idea of fostering more connection with nature and nurturing your wellbeing at the same time, gardening can be another great way to do this. Environmental educator Kara Moses also lists more small ways you can connect with nature day to day here.