BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM

You don’t really need a doctor’s note to step outside, but for thousands of people, that’s exactly what’s happening. Across the United States and beyond, healthcare providers are beginning to issue formal nature prescriptions, urging patients to spend time outdoors as a way to manage stress, improve physical health, and boost overall well-being.

“It’s almost like granting permission to do something they may see as frivolous when things seem so otherwise serious and stressful,” said Dr. Suzanne Hackenmiller, a gynecologist in Waterloo, Iowa. She began prescribing time outdoors after discovering its power to help her heal following her husband’s death.

The concept is simple: by turning casual advice into a tangible prescription, doctors hope patients will treat time in nature as a legitimate and necessary part of their healthcare routine.

The science behind fresh air

The health benefits of being outdoors are well documented. Studies have shown that exposure to green spaces can lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, and strengthen the immune system. “Study after study says we’re wired to be out in nature,” said Dr. Brent Bauer, director of the complementary and integrative medicine program at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. “That’s more than just ‘Woo-woo, I think nature is cool.’ There’s actually science.”

Bauer’s program explores practices outside conventional medicine (think meditation, massage, and nutrition) and he sees time outdoors as an equally powerful intervention.

Formalized nature prescriptions first gained traction about a decade ago, thanks in part to Dr. Robert Zarr, a physician and certified nature guide. He founded Park Rx America in 2016 to help providers integrate outdoor time into patient care.

How nature prescriptions work

Park Rx America offers doctors a framework for crafting nature prescriptions. Providers discuss what activities patients enjoy, whether it’s walking, sitting under a tree, or simply watching leaves fall. They also talk about how often they can realistically get outside. Those details are written into a prescription, and patients even receive reminders to follow through.

Since 2019, nearly 2,000 providers across the U.S. and several other countries including Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, and Spain have issued more than 7,000 nature prescriptions, said Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer, the organization’s associate medical director. She estimates that about 100 similar initiatives have sprung up nationwide.

Bauer said a written prescription helps people prioritize nature in a way that casual advice doesn’t. “When I get a prescription, someone hands me a piece of paper and says you must take this medication … I’m a lot more likely to activate that,” he said.

Finding calm in a chaotic world

For Hackenmiller and her patients, time in nature has become a counterbalance to the constant barrage of global stressors such as social media, political polarization, and conflict abroad. “When so many things are out of our control, it can be helpful to step away from the media and immerse ourselves in nature,” she said. “It’s something people often find solace in during other times of their life.”

While researchers are still studying long-term outcomes, anecdotal results are promising. At William & Mary Collegein Virginia, students are issuing nature prescriptions to peers through an online platform that matches them with nearby green spaces. The program has doubled its monthly prescriptions since 2020, showing growing interest in this simple yet impactful approach.

Senior Kelsey Wakiyama said her prescription helped her rediscover the trails around campus. “When you’re sitting inside—the fresh air feels very nice,” she said. “It calms my nervous system, definitely. I associate being outside with lightness, calmness, and good memories.”

A simple step with lasting benefits

Whether it’s a stroll through a park or time spent under a shady tree, the growing movement of nature prescriptions underscores one truth: sometimes, the most effective medicine is found just outside your front door.