Reduced sunlight during winter months can negatively affect mood and overall
well-being, particularly for those who spend most of their time indoors, such as
many knowledge workers. While exposure to bright light is a well-established
intervention for seasonal mood changes, exposure to natural environments,
also in virtual form, has also been linked to improved mood, stress reduction
and restoration. However, the specific benefits of virtual nature on
subsyndromal seasonal affective disorder remain underexplored. In this study,
we examined the effects of morning sessions in a virtual nature room over a
two-week period. Participants (n=55) were assigned to either a virtual nature
intervention with bright light (n=29) or without it (n=26), attending at least seven
30-minute sessions. Well-being, stress levels, and nature connectedness were
assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and after a two-week follow-up.
Additional measures included perceived restoration, vitality, and positive and
negative affect, measured before and after intervention period. For data
analysis we used linear regression models. Both groups showed improvements
in some primary and secondary measures. The comparison of between two
conditions showed no significant differences in any measure. These findings
suggest that virtual nature sessions can support well-being during winter. The
results offer promising opportunities for enhancing employee well-being at
workplace settings.