Why It’s Worth It | Ever notice how we spend fortunes on therapy and meditation apps while the most powerful mental health intervention is literally just … outside? Here’s what’s fascinating: nature isn’t just pretty scenery that makes for nice Instagram posts. It’s actually a form of healthcare. Like, legitimate, science-backed, brain-changing healthcare. Dan Harris sits down with UC Berkeley psychologist Dacher Keltner to explore why stepping outside might be the most underrated life hack we’ve got.

Dan starts by confessing his anti-nature bias; his hippie parents dragged him on camping trips as a kid, and he’s held a grudge ever since. But Dacher immediately drops some knowledge that shifts the conversation. Nature, it turns out, triggers awe: that feeling we get when we encounter something vast and mysterious. And here’s where it gets interesting: awe doesn’t just make us feel small in a good way. It actually makes us more altruistic. Dan’s skeptical at first, but Dacher explains that when we feel part of something larger than ourselves, we naturally start cooperating and sharing more. It’s evolutionary programming; our species survived by working together, and awe is one of nature’s tricks for making that happen.

The conversation takes a practical turn when they dig into the mechanisms. Dacher reveals that nature calms our stress response and quiets something called the default mode network, basically the part of our brain that’s constantly checking if we’re doing okay. When that settles down, we can actually focus. Dan shares how his nine-year-old son transformed when they moved from the city to the suburbs, whispering “this is the best day of my life” after getting out of the pool. The science backs up his kid’s instincts: nature improves sleep, boosts immune function, lowers cortisol, and even helps us concentrate better. One study shows that poor kids who experience awe become more curious about schoolwork.

Then Dacher shares this mind-blowing story about encountering a bear while reading William James in the High Sierras. Instead of immediately scaring it off, they locked eyes, and research shows that eye contact between species actually releases oxytocin, the trust hormone. Dan jokes that his cats only communicate “feed me,” but the broader point stands: we’re wired to connect with the natural world in profound ways. Even just looking at BBC nature documentaries or photos can trigger these benefits, though Dacher emphasizes that direct exposure to sunlight helps regulate our circadian rhythms.

The practical advice is refreshingly simple. We don’t need to become wilderness survivalists or buy expensive gear. Dacher suggests just stopping once or twice a week to intentionally look at the sky or spending 30 seconds really noticing flowers on a daily walk. He mentions that doctors are starting to prescribe nature exposure, and there’s a movement to “rewild” cities and schools with small green spaces. Even a 10×10 plot of native plants in a school playground can reduce kids’ stress levels. Who knew going outside could make everything better for everyone?

Background | In this episode, Dan Harris hosts Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and author of Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Key takeaways include:

• Nature as healthcare: Getting outside isn’t just nice; it’s medicine. Nature exposure lowers cortisol, improves immune function, enhances sleep quality, and sharpens attention in ways that rival any pharmaceutical intervention.
• The awe-altruism connection: When we experience awe in nature, we feel part of something larger than ourselves. This automatically triggers more cooperative, generous behavior; it’s how evolution wired us to work together as a species.
• Attention restoration: Nature calms our default mode network (the self-critical inner chatter) and restores our ability to focus. It’s like meditation but with trees, no app subscription required.
• The 30-second practice: We don’t need week-long camping trips. Just pausing to really look at the sky, notice flowers, or observe clouds for half a minute activates our nervous system’s relaxation response.
• Wildlife encounters build trust: Eye contact with animals releases oxytocin in both species. Even watching nature documentaries can trigger beneficial physiological changes in our bodies.
• Urban nature counts: Cities are “rewilding” with small parks and green spaces. Even tiny patches of nature in school playgrounds significantly reduce stress and improve focus in children.
• The national park prescription: With 467 national parks costing just $20 to visit, we have accessible temples of contemplation everywhere. Theodore Roosevelt saw them as sacred spaces; maybe he was onto something.

About | Dan Harris is a former national news reporter who turned to meditation to manage the stressors of a high-pressure on-air career. A self-dubbed “fidgety skeptic,” he brings a practical perspective to a seemingly abstract practice. Dan currently hosts the 10% Happier (TPH) podcast, which delivers conversations with meditation teachers, researchers, and even the odd celebrity. He is also a former co-founder of the Happier meditation app. Dan’s over-arching philosophy is simple yet profound: he believes happiness is a skill that can be learned.

Source | 10% Happier: The Science of How Nature Changes Your Brain – From Sleep to Cognition to Your Nervous System (November 15, 2024)