Watching Nature Scenes Can Reduce Pain, Says New Study
A new scientific study has revealed that watching nature scenes can help reduce pain. Researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Vienna found that natural environments can change how the brain processes pain signals, making the pain feel less intense. This discovery provides valuable insights into non-drug pain treatments.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research, published in Nature Communications, involved 49 participants in Austria. Scientists used an fMRI scanner to monitor brain activity while participants experienced mild electric shocks. They compared brain responses when participants watched different types of videos: natural landscapes, cityscapes, and indoor office settings.
The results showed that when people viewed nature scenes, they reported feeling less pain. More importantly, brain scans confirmed that the pain-related activity in their brains was lower. This suggests that nature has a direct, measurable effect on how the brain processes pain.
Understanding the Brain’s Response
To analyze the brain’s response, the researchers used advanced machine-learning techniques. They discovered that watching nature reduces the raw sensory signals that the brain receives when experiencing pain. This finding confirms that nature’s pain-relieving effect is not just psychological or based on personal beliefs—it is a real, biological response.
Lead researcher Max Steininger, a Ph.D. student at the University of Vienna, explained, “Many studies have shown that people feel less pain when exposed to nature, but until now, we didn’t fully understand why. Our study provides the first clear evidence from brain scans that nature reduces pain by altering how the brain processes pain signals.”
Comparing Nature’s Effect to Painkillers
Although nature does not eliminate pain entirely, the study found that its pain-relieving effect is about half as strong as that of standard pain medications. Therefore, while people should continue taking prescribed painkillers, nature exposure could be used as an additional method to improve pain management.
Why These Findings Matter
This study helps explain a long-standing mystery about nature’s healing power. Over 40 years ago, American researcher Roger Ulrich discovered that hospital patients recovered faster and used fewer painkillers when they had a view of green spaces rather than a brick wall. Until now, scientists did not fully understand why. This new research offers a clear explanation by showing how natural settings influence brain activity.
Potential for Virtual Nature Therapy
One of the most exciting aspects of this research is that virtual nature experiences can provide similar benefits to real outdoor environments. This means people who cannot easily access nature—such as hospital patients or those living in urban areas—could still experience its pain-relieving effects through high-quality videos or virtual reality.
Dr. Alex Smalley from the University of Exeter highlighted, “Our findings show that virtual nature can help people experience the healing power of nature, even if they cannot go outside. This also underscores the importance of preserving natural environments, as they benefit both human health and the planet.”
Conclusion
This study provides strong evidence that nature exposure can help manage pain by reducing brain activity linked to pain perception. While not a complete replacement for medication, it offers a promising, non-invasive way to complement traditional pain treatments. Future research may explore how different types of nature scenes and settings can maximize these benefits.
Source: Inputs from various media Sources
Priya Bairagi
Reviewed by Dr Aarti Nehra (MBBS, MMST)
I’m a pharmacist with a strong background in health sciences. I hold a BSc from Delhi University and a pharmacy degree from PDM University. I write articles and daily health news while interviewing doctors to bring you the latest insights. In my free time, you’ll find me at the gym or lost in a sci-fi novel.
