A recent study indicates that a majority of people in the United Kingdom consider spending time in nature essential to their happiness. Conducted by the beauty products company Faith In Nature, the survey gathered responses from 2,000 adults and found that 54 percent of Britons believe nature plays a central role in their well-being.

Among the various natural experiences cited, 52 percent of participants identified the sound of ocean waves as their top source of happiness. Additionally, half of those surveyed reported feeling happiest when gazing at the stars on a clear night. Other favored natural triggers included the scent of air after rainfall, the arrival of early spring, and the smell of woodland, rounding out the top five.

The study also highlighted other activities linked to positive emotions, such as walking on crunchy autumn leaves and seeing a rainbow. In total, 60 percent of respondents said that being outdoors provides a greater dopamine release than a night out.

Despite these strong associations between nature and happiness, the research found that on average, Britons spend just 55 minutes outdoors daily. However, they expressed a desire to increase that time substantially, with an ideal average of two hours and 23 minutes spent outside each day.

The findings suggest a gap between the time people wish to devote to nature and their actual outdoor activity, underscoring the importance of accessible green spaces and opportunities for outdoor engagement in enhancing psychological well-being.