Dosing Nature: Finding Health in Motion and Stillness
- Wendy Figone
- Jan 24
- 2 min read
What if just two hours a week in nature could meaningfully support your health and well-being?
A large scientific study published in Scientific Reports found that adults who spent at least 120 minutes per week in natural environments—such as parks, forests, or beaches—were significantly more likely to report better health and higher psychological well-being than those who spent no time in nature at all. Even more encouraging, those two hours didn’t need to happen all at once; the benefits appeared whether the time was taken in one visit or spread across several shorter moments throughout the week.
Nature meets us in motion and in stillness. A fast walk through the trees can lift the heart and clear the lungs, while a slow wander—listening for birds and noticing light on bark—can quiet the mind. Both paths lead toward health in different ways.
What’s new is that we can now measure these moments. Research continues to show that regular time in natural environments supports emotional well-being, stress recovery, and mental clarity. Tools like the NatureDose app make it possible for individuals and researchers to track how much time they spend in nature—helping translate an ancient intuition that nature heals into something modern science can observe and understand.
At Chaminade, our certified Forest Therapy Trail offers a space to experience both forms of restoration: movement that energizes the body and guided stillness that restores the nervous system. Whether you come for a walk, a retreat, or a moment of quiet reflection, each visit becomes part of your personal “dose” of nature.
A gentle note: when you’re in nature, the invitation is to put your phone away and let your senses lead. Apps like NatureDose are meant to help you reflect on your time in nature later—not to become something you check while you’re walking among the trees. Think of it as a weekly check-in rather than another screen to engage with in the moment. In this way, technology becomes a mirror for reflection, not another source of stimulation and distraction, which can drain attention and disrupt the very calm nature is meant to restore.
🌲 Learn more about tracking your time in nature with the NatureDose app:https://naturedose.app
🌿 Join us on Chaminade’s Forest Therapy Trail and experience how intentional time outdoors can support your well-being—one breath, one step, one moment at a time.
Scientific Reference:
White, M. P., et al. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9, 7730.
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