How Wildlife and Nature Reset the Nervous System

TL;DR Why Nature Works

Natural environments, especially those where wildlife thrives, have an incredible capacity to bring our nervous system back to equilibrium. They quiet the fight-or-flight response and encourage the rest-and-digest mode to take the lead, via mechanisms ranging from biochemical (lowering cortisol, blood pressure, and adrenaline) to neurological (increasing vagal tone and alpha brain waves) to emotional and spiritual (evoking awe and feelings of safety).

Perhaps what’s most magical is that you don’t have to force any of this; it happens organically. Our bodies evolved in unison with nature. Wildlife, in particular, adds a touch of connection that reminds us we’re part of a larger web of life. When you see a giraffe and a buffalo peacefully grazing side by side, your own body-mind gets the message that it’s safe to drop your guard. When you gaze at a vast starry sky or a mighty old tree, your perspective shifts, and those daily worries shrink for a while.

So, the next time you’re feeling stressed or stuck in your thoughts, consider this an invitation: step outside. If you can find a spot with trees, do that, and you can find some birds or squirrels to watch, even better. Give it a little time and pay attention to how you feel. Notice your breathing, your heartbeat, and your mood before and after.

In a world that often runs us ragged, these organic opportunities to reset are precious. Whether on a structured wellness retreat or just a quiet afternoon in the park, time in nature is more than a feel-good leisure activity; it’s a fundamental way to care for our biological well-being. As research and experience both affirm, nature doesn’t just heal in a poetic sense. It heals by recalibrating the very systems that keep us balanced and resilient.

Why Nature Regulates Our Nervous System

Most of us spend our days in high-alert mode: screens buzzing, traffic noise, constant to-do lists. This keeps our body stuck in a state called sympathetic dominance, where the fight-or-flight response becomes our default. That means chronically elevated levels of cortisol, adrenaline, and reduced variability in our heart rate, all markers of stress and dysregulation.

Nature flips the script. When we step into a green, wild space, our bodies naturally shift into parasympathetic mode, often described as the "rest-and-digest" state. This is driven by activation of the vagus nerve, a major parasympathetic pathway that runs from the brain to the heart, lungs, and gut. When activated, it slows the heart rate, promotes deep breathing, and restores calm.

Scientific studies back this up: just 15–20 minutes in a forest or quiet park has been shown to reduce salivary cortisol, lower blood pressure, and increase heart rate variability (HRV), a key indicator of vagal tone and nervous system flexibility. Higher HRV is associated with better emotional regulation, sleep, and resilience under pressure.

In a large Japanese study on shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), participants who walked in the woods had significantly lower adrenaline and noradrenaline levels compared to those walking in urban environments. Their nervous systems literally shifted out of survival mode.

Wildlife: The Nervous System’s Co-Regulators

Here’s where it gets fascinating: being in the presence of calm, wild animals can enhance this regulatory effect.

This is explained by the concept of neuroception, coined by Dr Stephen Porges (creator of the Polyvagal Theory). Neuroception is our body’s subconscious ability to detect safety or danger in the environment. And calm animals, behaving normally - grazing, resting, chirping, grooming - signal safety. When birds sing, or antelope graze unbothered, your ancient nervous system receives the message: There is no threat here. You can let down your guard.

In a UK study, participants who walked through a lemur enclosure had measurable reductions in cortisol and reported significant boosts in mood. The closer the animals came and the more immersed the person felt, the greater the benefit.

This isn’t limited to exotic wildlife. Birdsong alone has been shown to reduce anxiety and elevate mood, even in urban settings. It’s no coincidence that many people use nature sounds or forest ambience for sleep or meditation. These are neurobiological cues of safety.

The Role of Awe and Brainwave Shifts

When we witness something vast or beautiful, such as a sweeping savanna, a herd of buffalo, or a canopy of stars, we often feel a sense of awe. This emotion is not just poetic; it's physiological.

Awe has been linked with increased vagal activity, reduced default mode network (DMN) activity in the brain (the network associated with self-focus and rumination), and even lower levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker of inflammation.

Neuroscientists using EEG have found that exposure to natural environments, especially those that inspire awe, increases alpha brain wave activity – a signature of relaxed alertness and meditative states. In contrast, busy urban environments tend to boost beta wave activity, associated with task focus and stress.

This helps explain why people often return from retreats or hikes in nature saying things like, “I feel mentally clear” or “My mind just feels quieter.” It's not just the break from screens. It's a neurological shift into a calmer, more integrated state.

Real-Life Shifts I Witness in Guests

I’ve seen this transformation in so many retreat participants. People arrive wound tight, eyes darting, breathing shallow. But after just a day or two of time immersed in natural rhythms, early morning walks, conscious breathing, quiet animal observation, meals under the trees, something changes.

Their body language softens. Breathing deepens. People laugh more. They sleep better.

And the beauty of it is that we’re not even teaching the nervous system anything new. We’re simply creating an environment that reminds it of what it already knows - how to regulate, how to rest, how to reconnect.

Nature as Nervous System Therapy

Here’s a quick recap of what nature and wildlife exposure can do:

• Reduces cortisol, adrenaline, and blood pressure

• Increases vagal tone and heart rate variability

• Boosts alpha brain waves, reducing anxious thinking

• Triggers awe and connection, which reduce inflammation and stress

• Co-regulates via wildlife and natural sound cues

  
  

The trend of the “wellness safari” is growing, retreats where guests might do breathwork while gazing at giraffes or meditate to the sound of distant antelope making rutting sounds.

It may sound exotic, but the core idea is accessible anywhere: integrate nature and wildlife into healing practices. As one travel article noted, morning light, natural soundscapes, and contact with wild animals are woven into these experiences to ground people and awaken primal connections [nationalgeographic.com.]

The result is often a profound sense of reconnection, which sends people home not just recharged, but transformed in how they handle stress. You don’t need to be an expert to experience these shifts. Your body knows what to do. And you don’t need to travel far; parks, green spaces, or birdwatching from a window can start the process.

If you feel you need to go deeper, to spend time in a truly wild, animal-filled landscape, there is profound potential for healing. You don’t need to be an expert to experience these shifts. Your body knows what to do. And you don’t need to travel far, parks, green spaces, or birdwatching from a window can start the process.

But if you feel you need to go deeper - to spend time in a truly wild, animal-filled landscape - there is profound potential for healing. Join us for our next immersive retreat, Return to the Wild Self, from 26–31 March 2026.

Your nervous system will thank you.

Love, Han xx