As healthcare systems shift further towards preventative healthcare and person-centred care, attention is turning to nature-based healthcare and other lifestyle interventions that extend beyond medication and conventional clinical treatment. Often delivered through nature prescriptions, these approaches encourage structured time in nature, outdoor physical activity, social connection and everyday healthy routines as practical ways to strengthen wellbeing support alongside standard care. Rather than replacing medical treatment, nature-based healthcare is increasingly explored as a complementary approach that supports both physical and mental wellbeing while reinforcing the wider goals of preventative healthcare. For clinicians, the question is not whether nature matters to health, but whether these recommendations can be applied consistently in everyday clinical practice.
The concept has drawn international attention following developments in Sweden, where nature-based rehabilitation has been developed and, in several regions, integrated into the national healthcare system for patients recovering from stress-related ill health. Often described as nature prescriptions, these recommendations recognise that regular contact with natural environments may complement clinical care, particularly for patients experiencing stress, anxiety, mild depression or chronic conditions.*
Sweden is not alone. Across the Nordic region, healthcare systems and researchers are examining how nature-based interventions could become a more integrated part of preventative healthcare. Pilot work in Finland suggests such approaches may support sleep quality, mental wellbeing and daily functioning.* Meanwhile, groups in Norway and Denmark are exploring how green care initiatives might support rehabilitation, primary care and mental health services.*
This M3 Pulse edition looks at where nature-based healthcare fits within routine care and what physicians make of it in practice. Share how you approach nature and lifestyle advice in the comment section below.
This blog explores the following key areas:
Why Nature-Based Healthcare Is Receiving Greater Attention
Healthcare has traditionally focused on diagnosing and treating illness once symptoms appear. Yet many of the most pressing health challenges, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, anxiety, depression, and burnout, are closely linked with lifestyle, environmental, and behavioural factors.* That link has increased interest in interventions that aim to improve health before disease progresses, and in practical strategies that encourage healthier daily routines alongside established public health measures.
Nature-based healthcare draws on a growing body of evidence suggesting that regular exposure to green space may support mental wellbeing, reduce stress, improve sleep, increase physical activity, and strengthen social connection.* A 2023 systematic review of nature prescriptions reported promising signals for physical activity and for some mental health and cardiometabolic measures, while noting that the evidence base is still developing and that study quality varies.* Many clinicians already encourage patients to spend time outdoors, stay active, and take part in community activities where appropriate.
What sets nature prescriptions apart from informal advice is their structure. Rather than a general suggestion to get outside more, a clinician may recommend specific activities, such as walking in local parks several times a week, gardening or community outdoor programmes, outdoor rehabilitation, forest walks or guided nature experiences, and joining organised outdoor social groups. These recommendations are intended to complement existing treatment plans rather than replace medical therapy. The approach reflects the principles of person-centred care by recognising that health is shaped by physical, psychological, social and environmental factors.*
Opportunities and Challenges for Clinical Practice
Although the concept is straightforward, applying nature-based recommendations consistently in clinical practice raises several practical considerations. Many clinicians already discuss exercise, smoking cessation, healthy eating, and sleep as part of preventative healthcare, and for some, introducing nature-based activities simply extends these existing lifestyle conversations.
Implementation, however, is not always simple. Access to safe outdoor environments varies considerably depending on where patients live. Weather, mobility limitations, chronic illness, disability, socioeconomic circumstances, and the availability of local community resources can all affect whether patients are able to follow these recommendations.* For patients in deprived areas or without nearby green space, a nature prescription may be difficult to act on without additional support.
Consultation time is a further constraint. Clinicians often need to prioritise immediate clinical concerns, which can leave little room to explore broader wellbeing strategies in detail. Confidence is another factor: although many physicians recognise the potential benefits of nature-based healthcare, formal training on when and how to recommend these interventions remains limited.
Without clear criteria, decisions may rest on individual judgement and interest rather than shared guidance. As research develops, clearer clinical guidance may help identify which patients are most likely to benefit, how recommendations should be tailored, and how outcomes can be evaluated within routine practice. Understood this way, nature-based healthcare is unlikely to act as a replacement for conventional care; it may instead become one component of a broader preventative healthcare strategy, applied where it is practical and likely to help.
Where Physicians See Their Role
To understand how physicians currently use nature-based and lifestyle interventions as part of wellbeing support, the M3 Pulse survey asked 77 physicians the following question:
What has your experience been with recommending nature-based or lifestyle interventions as part of wellbeing support in your practice?
Out of the given options, the results show 29% of physicians said they regularly recommend these approaches, making it the most selected response. This was followed by 25% who said they discuss these topics informally but do not provide structured recommendations, suggesting that many clinicians recognise the value of nature-based interventions even if they have not formally incorporated them into routine practice.
A further 16% reported they recommend these approaches occasionally, depending on the situation, while another 16% said they have little or no experience with these interventions, highlighting differing levels of familiarity and adoption across clinical settings.
Meanwhile, 6% said they see the value of these approaches but rarely recommend them in practice, while 5% felt they are difficult to implement in their practice setting, indicating that practical barriers remain for some clinicians.
The Growing Role of Nature-Based Healthcare
Preventative healthcare continues to expand beyond the treatment of disease. Alongside advances in diagnostics, medicines and technology, greater attention is being paid to the everyday factors that influence health across the life course.* Nature-based healthcare reflects this wider shift towards supporting health through practical lifestyle measures.*
While further evidence will continue to shape clinical guidance, several of its core principles, including physical activity, stress reduction, better sleep and social connection, are already recognised as important contributors to wellbeing.
Whether delivered through structured nature prescriptions or woven into routine lifestyle discussions, these approaches offer another way to strengthen preventative healthcare. Their long-term role will depend on the growing evidence base, the availability of practical resources, and the experience of clinicians working across different healthcare settings. Structured input from physicians, gathered through healthcare market research, can help clarify where these interventions add value, which barriers matter most, and how they are best applied in practice. Understanding how physicians currently use these interventions, the barriers they encounter and the situations where they see value will help shape how nature-based healthcare develops within everyday clinical practice.
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