Beyond Restoration: Considering Emotion Regulation in Natural Well-Being

Abstract

Our relationship with the rest of the natural world can help emotion regulation, yet the role of nature in the regulation of emotions is often overlooked. As the health benefits provided by nature are increasingly recognized, there is a need for accessible models that can explain and promote those well-being benefits. To complement existing theories based on restoration and to improve understanding of nature's role in emotion regulation, this article provides an account of the well-being benefits of nature based on affect regulation. The article considers the relationships between emotion regulation, well-being, and nature through an accessible model of affect regulation that explains research reporting physiological responses to nature. The model, and underpinning research, highlights the interconnectedness between people and the rest of nature, fitting a wider narrative about the human role in our ecosystem. Applied implications of this perspective are presented.