People have long turned to nature for comfort and relief. A walk in the woods, the sound of waves on the shore, or even the sight of green fields can bring a sense of peace. But can experiencing nature actually reduce physical pain? A new study using advanced brain imaging has uncovered how viewing nature changes the way the brain processes pain. The researchers used an fMRI scanner to monitor the brain activity of the participants. Each person received a series of mild electric shocks while watching different videos. Some participants viewed natural landscapes, while others watched urban or indoor scenes. The results were clear - those who watched nature reported feeling less pain, and their brain scans showed reduced activity in regions linked to pain perception. 

The study went a step further by applying machine-learning techniques to analyse the brain networks that are involved in pain processing. This showed how the brain received and interpreted pain signals. Watching natural scenes reduced the intensity of the sensory input, so the brain perceived the pain as less severe. “Our study is the first to provide evidence from brain scans that this isn’t just a ‘placebo’ effect, driven by people’s beliefs and expectations that nature is good for them. The brain is actually getting less pain signals from the area where the pain is coming from, and so it feels less intense,” said Max Steininger of the University of Vienna.