We already have numerous herbs for tinctures and teas, poultices and plasters. Sugar and honey soothe topical wounds. Lavender essential oil calms thermal burns. These are all great tools. And yet, when we learn about another cool tool, like some garage mechanic, we simply have to get it, too. Because it works. Because it’s free. Because it’s what God gave us, and we don’t even have to store or manipulate it. And it’s easily portable.
It's nature.
In a series of studies 30-40 years ago, Roger Ulrich, an architect and health system design expert, demonstrated that being in and looking at nature reduced pain. One study divided patients hospitalized for gallbladder removal into two groups. The experimental group looked out a window onto a natural scene. The control group looked out the window to a brick wall. The experimental group members had fewer negative comments in the nurses’ notes, requested fewer potent pain relievers, and went home sooner than the control group.[1]
Another study published earlier this year revealed that this phenomenon is not the result of a placebo effect. Advanced machine-learning analysis of the brain networks demonstrated that the brain received fewer pain signals when the subjects merely watched a high-quality virtual scene. It didn’t even have to be real nature.
Furthermore, while the effect seems to be greatest with visual scenes, the other senses also play a role. Soundscapes reduce pain as well, and aromatherapy with essential oils has been used for years.
And how effective is this natural pain relief? It’s about half the strength of a regular painkiller.[2] So while it’s not full-strength, it is still an effective tool to deploy in the fight against pain.
Noteworthy is the fact that hospitals are incorporating gardens into their design. Research suggests that gardens reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and facilitate relaxation. Of course, we aren’t building hospitals. However, we’ll likely be involved in treating ill family members in our homes. We may be tempted to isolate them in quiet rooms. We should remember that nature may promote a faster recovery. And it may not apply to the ill and injured alone. What about providing a more natural environment for women delivering their babies? Will less stress and lower blood pressure contribute to healthier infants? [3]
As a side note, researchers have found that family members of patients who spend 3-5 days in the ICU have a 10-15% chance of developing PTSD within six months. Perhaps time in a garden or bringing nature indoors would reduce the risk of PTSD. [4] [5]
And finally, the last group recently identified to benefit from nature: Nurses. They’re under a lot of stress and strain and always being asked to do more. More time in nature for themselves, taking patients out into nature, or bringing the great outdoors inside contributes to better care. And of course, by nurses I mean all of us.[6]
Hopefully you’ve got beautiful views of nature from within the walls of your home. If not, perhaps consider investing in a few high-quality images as part of your medical preps.
[1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.6143402
[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56870-2
[3] https://naturesacred.org/natural-design-for-better-health-an-interview-with-dr-roger-ulrich/
[4] https://naturesacred.org/natural-design-for-better-health-an-interview-with-dr-roger-ulrich/
[5] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5985813/
[6] https://naturesacred.org/natural-design-for-better-health-an-interview-with-dr-roger-ulrich/
