How Nature Restores Your Mind and Your Spine

Your brain and your spine share one vital job: to keep you balanced and responsive. When daily life overloads your nervous system with constant noise, screens, and tension, both mental focus and spinal function suffer.

Research from the University of Michigan, led by psychologists Marc Berman, John Jonides, and Stephen Kaplan, found a simple way to reset that system—spending time in nature.

The Research

Participants took two walks: one through a leafy arboretum and one through a busy city street. Their concentration and memory were tested before and after each walk.

The results were striking: after the nature walk, short-term memory improved by about 20 percent. The city walk made little difference. Even viewing photos of nature sharpened attention and accuracy.

Why This Matters

Your nervous system is the master control of your body. Chiropractic care improves the way your spine communicates with your brain, helping you adapt to stress and maintain balance. Nature does something similar on a different level—it allows your brain’s attention systems to rest and reset.

When you combine chiropractic adjustments with time outdoors, you support both structural and neurological restoration. Your body moves more freely, your breathing slows, and your parasympathetic system (the “rest and repair” mode) takes over. That’s when healing happens best.

How Nature Works on the Brain

Natural settings gently capture your attention without demanding effort. This allows your directed attention—the part of the brain that focuses and filters distractions—to recover. City environments, by contrast, force your brain into constant vigilance. You may not notice it, but that constant alertness drains mental and physical energy, much like poor posture or chronic muscle tension.

Practical Steps

• Schedule regular walks in a park or along the waterfront after your adjustment

• Swap screen breaks for a few quiet minutes outside under a tree.

• Add plants or natural light to your workspace to help your mind reset.

• Encourage children to play outside to build healthy movement and focus patterns early.

The Takeaway

Nature acts as a simple form of neural care.

Chiropractic adjustments restore spinal communication; nature restores mental clarity. Both help your body function as it should—calm, coordinated, and adaptable. A few mindful minutes outdoors after your adjustment could be one of the best ways to support your brain, your spine, and your overall health.

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Dr Mark has a special interest in helping recreational athletes of all ages perform better and prevent injury. Correct breathing and postural alignment are critical for top performance and injury prevention and is an integral part of “The Over 40 Athlete System” that Mark has developed.

Dr Julie has a special interest in helping mothers and “mothers to be”. Her Post Graduate qualifications in Paediatric Chiropractic and as an ex-midwife give her a unique ability to help pregnant women, new mums and their young children.

Yours in Health,

Dr's Mark & Julie