Hiking off trail in the Adirondack Park In a recent article at Wimp.com author Michael W. Pirrone describes brain research that cites the benefits of spending time in the natural environment. He cites research where people who took a 90-minute walk through a natural environment benefited much more than those who took a 90-minute walk in an urban environment. How did they measure it? They did brain scans and found decreased blood flow to the subgenual prefrontal cortex which is associated with bad moods. So, feeling sad, worrying, and depression all seem to be lessened with a walk in a natural environment.
What’s the scary part? The average child in the U.S. currently spends half as much time outside as compared to only 20 years ago. “Only 6% of children will play outside on their own in a typical week. Conversely, kids are now spending almost 8 hours per day watching television, playing video games, or using a computer, tablet, or phone for recreational purposes.”
You can read the entire article here: What Hiking Does To The Brain Is Pretty Amazing.
What’s the scary part? The average child in the U.S. currently spends half as much time outside as compared to only 20 years ago. “Only 6% of children will play outside on their own in a typical week. Conversely, kids are now spending almost 8 hours per day watching television, playing video games, or using a computer, tablet, or phone for recreational purposes.”
You can read the entire article here: What Hiking Does To The Brain Is Pretty Amazing.
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