Walk With Jay Maddock |The Science Behind Time in Nature

Mar 17

Episode 6 Summary: In this walk episode of Rooted, Susan is joined by public health researcher Jay Maddock to explore the growing science behind time in nature and human wellbeing.

Jay shares how his early experiences playing in the woods as a child, and later living in Hawaii, shaped his understanding of how deeply our health is connected to the natural world. Now leading the Center for Health and Nature at Texas A&M, his research focuses on how even small moments outside can influence stress, attention, and physical health.

Together, Susan and Jay explore the idea of “micro-doses” of nature—short, everyday experiences outdoors that can help reset the nervous system—as well as the larger impacts of longer time spent in natural environments. They also discuss emerging research on immune health, the role of green space in communities, and the growing practice of nature prescriptions in healthcare.

Rather than suggesting dramatic lifestyle changes, the conversation returns to a simple insight: the greatest benefit often comes from moving from no nature to some nature.

Sometimes the shift begins with something as small as stepping outside and noticing where we are.

SHOW NOTES

Nature is often treated as a luxury — something we visit when we have time.

But public health researcher Jay Maddock has spent years studying something different: what actually happens in the body when we spend time outside.

In this conversation, Jay shares the research behind what many of us intuitively feel. Within minutes of stepping outside, blood pressure drops, mood improves, and our nervous system begins to reset. Over longer periods, time in nature may even strengthen immune function.

Jay’s work sits at the intersection of public health, behavioral science, and environmental psychology. From leading the Center for Health and Nature at Texas A&M to helping launch the Nature and Health Alliance, he is helping build the research infrastructure behind what many people already sense: nature isn’t an escape from life — it’s part of how human health works.

Susan and Jay explore micro-doses of nature, weekend “macro doses,” nature prescriptions in healthcare systems, and why the biggest shift often comes simply from moving from no nature to some nature.

The conversation is both scientific and practical — a reminder that even small moments outside can have meaningful effects on how we feel and function.

Key Themes

Nature as a foundational pillar of human health
Micro-doses vs. macro-doses of nature exposure
The emerging science behind nature and immune function
Nature prescriptions in healthcare and universities
Urban greening and mental health outcomes
Attention restoration and cognitive reset in natural settings
Social connection and openness in nature spaces

Key Takeaways

Even 10 minutes in nature can lower stress and improve mood.
The greatest health shift often comes from moving from no exposure to some exposure.
Time in nature may influence immune function — including increases in natural killer cell activity.
Walking in nature appears to reset the brain’s attention system.
Nature exposure can be integrated into everyday life through small practices like walking meetings or outdoor breaks.
Urban greening may reduce mental health service needs in communities.
“One weekend in nature can shift immune function for weeks.”

Connect with the Guest

Jay Maddock, PhD

Director, Center for Health & Nature
Texas A&M University

Research and initiatives mentioned:

Resources Mentioned

Nature Score
A tool that measures the “greenness” of neighborhoods and access to nature.

NatureDose App
Tracks time spent in nature and helps users build consistent outdoor habits.

Children & Nature Network
Research and initiatives focused on children’s connection to nature.

Book referenced in discussion:

Why We Sleep — Matthew Walker

Reflection Prompt

When was the last time you spent even ten quiet minutes outside — not exercising, not multitasking, simply noticing where you were?

What might shift if that became a small daily practice?

Prefer to read? The full transcript is available below.

Description text goes hereSusan:
Welcome, Jay. I’m really excited to talk with you today.
Jay Maddock:
Susan, thanks for having me.
Susan:
When I first announced that I was launching a podcast focused on nature and wellbeing, several people recommended that I connect with you. As I started looking into your work, I realized we’ve taken somewhat parallel paths.
We’ve both spent time working in organizational wellbeing, but you’ve gone much deeper into the research side of nature and health. So I’m really looking forward to this conversation.
Let’s start with your story. You grew up in Rhode Island, spent years in Hawaii, and now you’re in Texas. That’s quite a range of environments. Where would you begin if you were telling the origin story of your connection with nature?
Jay Maddock:
I grew up in Rhode Island in the 1980s, and childhood looked very different then. Behind our house there was a large wooded area that all the neighborhood kids used as a common space.
We would disappear into those woods for hours. Looking back, that experience shaped who I am.
Now I have two sons, and watching their lives has made me realize how much children’s access to nature has changed. Today we’re dealing with much more screen time and social media. I really see nature as an antidote to that.
After finishing my PhD at the University of Rhode Island, I moved to Hawaii and lived there for sixteen years.
Life in Hawaii is deeply connected to nature. People spend time hiking, swimming, and being outdoors because many of those activities are free and the environment invites it.
Even the buildings are designed differently. Many homes have windows open most of the time because the climate allows it.
Hawaii also has the longest life expectancy in the United States, which makes you wonder about the role environment plays in health.
In 2015 I moved to Texas to become Dean of the School of Public Health at Texas A&M. One of the things I noticed pretty quickly was that I wasn’t as healthy as I had been in Hawaii.
Texas summers are extremely hot, and people spend much more time indoors. That shift really made me think about how our environments shape our wellbeing.
Eventually that led me to focus my research on the health effects of spending time in nature.
Susan:
I’ve never been to Hawaii, but the idea of living somewhere where your windows are open most of the time sounds incredible.
When you moved to Texas, did you notice the difference right away, or did that awareness come later?
Jay Maddock:
The real turning point for me actually happened a year before I moved to Texas.
In 2014 I was invited to give the keynote speech at the World Trails Conference on Jeju Island in South Korea.
People told me Jeju was “the Hawaii of South Korea.” I showed up wearing a Hawaiian shirt in February—and it was about forty degrees.
But once I got there, I learned about the story behind the conference.
The director had been a well-known news anchor in Seoul. She had a very successful career but eventually burned out. She decided to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
During that experience she realized she wanted to return home to Jeju Island and build trails across the island.
She and her brother created the Jeju Olle Trail system and launched the World Trails Conference to bring together leaders from trail systems around the world.
At that conference I met people who lead some of the largest trail organizations in the world.
What struck me most was how happy they all seemed.
I go to a lot of public health conferences, and people are often tired or stressed. But this group was energized and joyful.
That made me curious.
When I started researching for my keynote talk, I came across studies from the 1980s and 1990s exploring the health effects of nature. The research had been somewhat fragmented, but it planted a seed for me.
Susan:
That’s fascinating. And it makes me smile because the reason I started this podcast is that I had my own moment of realization while walking the Camino.
I’d love to talk about one of the tools you mentioned in your work—the Nature Score.
I entered my home address in the suburbs of Detroit and received a score in the 80s. But when I entered an address in a remote part of northern Michigan where I spend time near a lake in a national forest, the score was slightly lower.
Why would that happen?
Jay Maddock:
Accessibility plays a big role.
A location may be beautiful, but if people can’t safely access it—for example, if there are no sidewalks or safe walking routes—it can affect the score.
Both of the scores you mentioned are actually quite high.
Another interesting finding from our research is that once a neighborhood reaches a certain level of greenness—around 50 or 60—the additional health benefits level off.
You don’t need to live deep in the wilderness to receive the benefits of nature.
What concerns us most is nature deprivation—places where there is very little access to green space at all.
Susan:
That makes sense. Detroit has been making significant efforts to increase green space in recent years, which is encouraging.
Beyond mental health, what other health benefits do we see from spending time in nature?
Jay Maddock:
One of the fastest effects we see is a reduction in stress.
Within about ten minutes outside—especially if you’re paying attention to the environment around you—you can see drops in blood pressure and improvements in mood.
I like to call these micro-doses of nature.
Taking one or two of these small breaks outside each day can have meaningful benefits.
Then there are what I call macro-doses, which involve spending longer periods of time in nature.
Research from Japan on forest bathing shows that spending a weekend in a forest environment can increase natural killer cell activity, which is part of the immune system responsible for fighting cancer.
What’s remarkable is that the increase in immune activity can still be measured seven days and even thirty days later.
So a single weekend in nature may influence immune function for up to a month.
Susan:
That’s amazing.
It reminds me of my own experience walking the Camino last year. I walked seventy-three miles over six days—nine to fifteen miles each day.
When I returned home, I happened to have blood work done, and my doctor asked what I had been doing because all my numbers had improved.
I wasn’t eating perfectly during that week, but the combination of walking and being outdoors clearly made a difference.
Jay Maddock:
That combination—exercise and nature—is incredibly powerful.
I sometimes describe it as the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of health behaviors. You have physical activity and you have nature exposure. Both are beneficial on their own, but together they’re even better.
Susan:
Earlier you mentioned the pillars that support human health. Can you walk us through those?
Jay Maddock:
Sure.
The four key behavioral pillars are:
• Physical activity
• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Nature contact
Physical activity ideally includes about thirty minutes of movement each day.
Sleep is critical—we really need around seven hours or more.
Nutrition should focus on fruits, vegetables, and reducing ultra-processed foods.
And then there’s nature contact, which historically hasn’t received as much attention but is increasingly recognized as essential.
Humans have become a very indoor species. Air conditioning, technology, and smartphones have shifted much of our lives inside.
Interestingly, during COVID many people rediscovered walking outdoors, and that period helped renew interest in research around nature and health.
Susan:
Before we close, what would you say to someone listening who feels like they don’t have hours each week to spend in nature?
Jay Maddock:
The greatest benefit comes from moving from none to some.
Even small actions can help.
Add a plant to your workspace.
Look out the window.
Step outside for a few minutes.
Those small connections to nature add up.
Susan:
That’s a beautiful place to end.
Jay, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your work. If people want to learn more about you or your research, where should they go?
Jay Maddock:
You can search for the Nature and Health Alliance or the Center for Health and Nature at Texas A&M to learn more about our research and initiatives.
Susan:
Wonderful. I’ll include links in the show notes.
Thank you again for the conversation today.
Jay Maddock:
It was great talking with you.

Susan Bailey