Green Mindfulness: A systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Introduction. Humans possess an innate tendency towards life which, through fascination, facilitates the restoration of directed attention and stress recovery. Given the increasing urbanization, integrating Nature contact with mindfulness - a practice known for its analogous mental health benefits - is gaining attention. This systematic review investigates whether Nature-based mindfulness (Green Mindfulness) is synergistic, neutral, or antagonistic compared to indoor mindfulness or Nature exposure considered separately.

Methodology. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search on Google Scholar using the string "Nature-based mindfulness" AND (empirical OR experimental) was conducted, yielding 129 results. After screening, twenty empirical studies published in 2023–2024 were included, with only nine featuring a comparator activity in a real natural environment. Participants included adolescents and adults, healthy subjects, and those with mental/physical vulnerabilities. Outcomes included psychological (stress, anxiety, mood, Nature connectedness) and physiological (cortisol, heart rate) measures.

Results. All twenty studies reported positive effects on well-being and health. However, the comparative analysis of the nine controlled studies showed heterogeneous outcomes, indicating that Nature-based mindfulness is not unequivocally superior to comparison conditions, with results being synergistic, neutral, or even antagonistic depending on the variable. Specifically, antagonistic effects and neutral effects were observed for some variables.

Discussion and Conclusions. The field of Nature-based mindfulness is emerging and highly heterogeneous in activity design and reporting. The lack of superior efficacy in some studies suggests that formal, introspective mindfulness may impede the necessary sensory relationship with the environment. An ecopsychological perspective is proposed for future research, advocating for an ecocentric green mindfulness model that includes the locus Naturae (the place as a living presence) and an ecotuner (a specialized facilitator) to better capture and maximize the bi-directional, restorative effects of the human-Nature relationship.