There's no one way to enjoy nature. How to find what works for you and get outside
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Hsieh/NPR Angela Hsieh/NPR
Being "outdoorsy" can stir up images of big beautiful national parks, snowy slopes or lush, green forests. But smaller moments in nature, like walking my dog around the neighborhood or even listening to a rain sounds playlist as I fall asleep, have been just as valuable — and don't require the time, money or physical mobility of a big trip.
No matter how you access it, a growing body of research shows that nature has enormous emotional and cognitive benefits on people "including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation," according to the American Psychological Association.
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