The Nervous System and Grounding with Nature
BY COURTNEY PURDY, PSY.D.
We often think of ourselves as separate from nature. However, our bodies are organic systems. We are nature.
And like any part of the natural world, our nervous system responds to the conditions it is placed in and how well it is cared for. Eating, hydrating, sleeping, and moving all play a role in keeping our systems functioning well.
Your Nervous System Is Always Responding
Your brain and body are constantly taking in information from your environment and your interpretations of it, then adjusting your level of activation. Information comes from stimulation in general. Light, noise, screens, conversations, and even anticipation can all increase arousal. Sometimes that activation comes from stress or a perceived threat.
Activation is normal. You need it to focus, respond, and move through your day. It becomes a problem when your system is consistently activated without enough opportunity to reset. Unfortunately, there is very little true downtime in modern life. Even moments that look like rest often still involve stimulation (like scrolling on a phone or watching a screen). Over time, this can make it harder for your body to shift into a state where it can rest, digest, and fully power down.
When Your Environment Keeps You Stuck in Activation
Your nervous system relies on cues from your environment to determine whether it is safe to relax. Our daily environments can be confusing from a biological standpoint.
If you are sitting inside, curled up with your shoulders forward, looking down at a small, bright screen, your body is receiving a very specific set of signals: limited visibility, restricted posture, and a narrow field of focus. You’re essentially tucked into a small space while staying alert. This is a posture similar to what you might take if you were hiding from a tiger.
Your body does not know you are answering emails, scrolling, or trying to relax. It is simply responding to the input (as if a tiger is outside).
Grounding with Nature
Grounding is the practice of intentionally bringing your attention to your body and your immediate environment, usually through your senses, to help your nervous system orient to the present moment (that is hopefully tiger free). It can support your nervous system in recognizing cues of safety by changing the information it is receiving.
When you lift your head, open your posture, and begin to engage with what is around you, your brain gets more complete data. You can see more, hear more, and feel more. This helps your system update and recognize that you are safe enough to settle.
Natural environments tend to support this process more effectively. When you are outside, your field of vision expands. There is more space, depth, and variation. Your body is also more likely to move out of a closed, curled posture and into a more open position (shoulders back, chest up).
At the same time, the sensory input is steadier and less demanding. Sounds, movement, and visual patterns are often more rhythmic and less abrupt than what you experience on a screen (think shades of green instead of the whole rainbow flashing at you). In other words, nature provides your nervous system with clearer, more consistent signals of safety.
This is part of why even a short amount of time outside can feel emotionally regulating. You are not just “getting fresh air.” You are placing your nervous system back into an environment it is designed to understand.
Movement can deepen this effect. Walking, stretching, or shifting your posture while outside increases both physical and sensory engagement. This further helps your system move out of a contracted, inward state and into a more open, responsive one.
This is also where practices like yoga can be helpful. Opening the body, changing your orientation in space, and bringing attention to breath and sensation are all ways of grounding through both the body and the environment.
A Simple Way to Practice
You might try stepping outside for a few minutes and noticing your environment. Find something interesting, like a bug crawling on the ground, a bird in a tree, the way leaves move in the wind, or the different shades of green on a plant, and then give it your full attention.
Remember to bring your mind with you (pay attention and avoid multitasking) while you practice using nature to ground yourself. Even just a few minutes can help you feel more settled.
When you notice your mind drifting to to-do lists, worries, or anything else, gently and kindly redirect it back to what is happening around you. And there you have it! You’re using nature to respect the fact that you are nature.
Courtney Purdy, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in Coping Skills, Relationship Issues and Anxiety. Areas of expertise include: Anger Management, Bisexual, Body Positivity, Depression, Family Conflict, Lesbian, LGBTQ+, Life Transitions, Mood Disorders, Peer Relationships, Personality Disorders, Self Esteem, Sleep or Insomnia, Stress, and Women’s Issues. To learn more about Dr. Purdy and to schedule a free 15 minute consultation, click here or call (561) 559-6371. For more information about Dr. Purdy and her practice, visit https://www.purdypsychology.com/.
