Most of us have had the unpleasant experience of sitting in a hospital waiting room. In that room, we are often overwhelmed with worry for ourselves or a loved one. We long for peace and patience as we wait, hoping for good news but ruminating on all that could go wrong. It seems contradictory, then, that the very place where we most need comfort is cold and unwelcoming – stark walls, uncomfortable chairs, fluorescent lighting that hurts the eyes. This phenomenon is so common, and increases patient and family stress so much, that recent research has focused on the creation of “healing environments,” or the changing of aesthetics to enhance the overall hospital experience.

In “Stress-Reducing Effects of Real and Artificial Nature in a Hospital Waiting Room,” researchers compared patients in rooms with plants and nature scenes to those in standard waiting rooms without such elements. It probably comes as no surprise that patients surrounded by plants – or even photos of natural environments – reported lower levels of stress. It scaffolds what many of us already know about exposure to forests, rivers, and clear, blue sky – convening with nature can result in positive effects on our overall health and wellbeing.

This information is particularly poignant in the age of the novel coronavirus. There are so many stressors it’s hard to even pick one thing to worry about. Concerns about our health, the health of our loved ones, our jobs, our children’s education, and loneliness brought on by social distancing are overlapping and ever-present drains on our physical and mental wellbeing. While our houses are certainly not as stark as the average hospital waiting room, our extended time at home makes a welcoming, stress-free environment more important than ever.

Interestingly, the hospital waiting room study found little to no difference in the response of patients who were exposed to real, living plants and those who were exposed only to photos of nature. Both groups rated their rooms as more attractive than rooms without either intervention, and both groups experienced lower stress levels than the control group. This is good news for those of us who can’t keep even the hardiest of houseplants alive. It means we can create low-stress environments with pictures. In the words of the researchers in the hospital room study, adding real or artificial natural elements… “provides an unobtrusive and inexpensive stress and anxiety management method.”

For those of us considering creating a stress free zone in our own spaces, Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (KART) may provide an anchor for deciding just what images to pick. The KART demonstrates that brief exposure to natural scenes not only reduces stress, it can also improve mental focus. To achieve these goals, however, photographs should be:

• Fascinating to effortlessly capture the attention of the viewer
• Provide a sense ofbeing away, allowing the mind to wander from everyday stress
• Beextensive by creating a desire to explore more of the environment
• Becompatible with one’s desires and needs, providing the opportunity to experience enjoyment

Selecting images for your space is based in personal preference and should be used as an opportunity to explore what brings harmony and peace to your space. For ideas, check out Natural Phocus for a diverse selection of images depicting everything from warm desert tones to cool, rainy forests.