Nature-based interventions (NBIs) and health recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Nature-Based Interventions (NBIs) benefits in health recovery. • NBIs can reduce negative emotions and improve happiness. • NBIs lowers HR, SBP, DBP. • NBIs may improve cognitive performance. Nature-based interventions (NBIs) are organized outdoor activities that utilize natural environments to promote health recovery. Previous studies have demonstrated the value of nature exposure for various outcomes connected to health recovery. However, there is a lack of quantitative and comprehensive analysis on the impact of NBIs on health recovery. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of NBIs on health recovery outcomes. We screened 3372 articles from PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect (2020–2024), selecting 15 randomized controlled trials for meta-analysis. Results demonstrated significant positive effects of NBIs on emotional and physiological health. Cognitive outcomes were excluded due to methodological heterogeneity. Negative affect decreased by 4.09 units (95% CI: -5.94, -2.24; p < 0.00001), while the WHO-5 Well-Being Index improved by 0.68 units (95% CI: 0.45, 0.90; p < 0.00001). Physiologically, heart rate decreased by 2.34 bpm (95% CI: -3.72, -0.97; p = 0.0009), systolic blood pressure by 5.14 mmHg (95% CI: -9.44, -0.84; p = 0.02), and diastolic blood pressure by 2.48 mmHg (95% CI: -4.68, -0.29; p = 0.03). These findings underscore NBIs’ potential in enhancing emotional well-being and cardiovascular health, though further research is needed to standardize cognitive assessments and explore long-term effects.