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Jan LiteShoe
12-17-2008, 18:56
http://www.motherjones.com/blue_marble_blog/archives/2008/12/11365_the_gift_of_nat.html?welcome=true


"Walking in a park in any season or even viewing pictures of nature helps improve memory and attention by 20 percent. All it takes is 30 minutes. Even when it's cold. Even when we don't enjoy it. The study by U of Michigan (http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=6892) researchers found that effects of interacting with nature (http://www.motherjones.com/blue_marble_blog/archives/2008/10/10441_adhd-study-nature-walks.html) are similar to meditating.

Participants were sent on walking routes through urban streets as well as through a botanical garden and arboretum. The city strolls provided no memory boost but the parks improved short-term memory. Interestingly, the test subjects didn't need to enjoy the walks. They received the same cognitive benefits when it was 80 degrees and sunny as when it was 25 degrees in winter.


Participants were also tested sitting inside and looking at pictures of either downtown scenes or nature scenes. The results were the same: about 20 percent improvement in memory and attention scores from looking at photos of nature.


The study appears in Psychological Science (http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121570660/abstract) and dovetails with some of the researchers' earlier work suggesting that people will be most satisfied with their lives when their environment supports three basic needs: the ability to understand and explore; the ability to make a difference; and ability to feel competent and effective.


Best holiday present? Take someone out into nature. Truly the gift that gives forever. Or at least for 20 percent longer."
:sun

Dogwood
12-17-2008, 19:37
Interesting addition JLS is statistics show people who garden have longer life spans!

girlnextdoor
12-17-2008, 22:00
Thanks for that Liteshoe!

There's a movement in therapy to move out of the counseling room and into the world, walking around, for a session. It promotes the sense of optimism and moving forward instead of the stagnation that sometimes occurs in re-living an event when discussing it over and over in traditional therapy.

So interesting!

weary
12-17-2008, 22:20
Many, many, many thanks, Jan. You have made my day.

Weary

Cookerhiker
12-17-2008, 22:32
One of the points in Edward O. Wilson's book The Future of Life is that humans embrace what he calls biophilia i.e. we crave the natural environment. He cites some studies indicating reduction of stress and faster recovery from injuries and medical procedures when victims/patients are exposed even in small amounts to nature scenes, whether a nice view from a window or even pictures. In short, getting out in nature is healthier.

FritztheCat
12-18-2008, 10:21
Great article! Thanks for sharing!

warraghiyagey
12-18-2008, 10:31
Once again, Jan shares the sunshine:sun

woodsy
12-18-2008, 11:23
after seeing the results of the study, i think i might have been one of the participants but can't remember , must be time for a stroll through the woods...
Good stuff Jan, thanks for sharing it.

MoBill122
12-18-2008, 12:09
Thanks Jan !
Nothing can help the soul better than a walk in the woods for me !

Rockhound
12-18-2008, 13:11
wow. i think im going to go for a hike

Tinker
12-18-2008, 13:19
Not surprising results.

I know how nature affects me. :)

Thanks for the reassurance, Jan.

JAK
12-18-2008, 15:07
That 'even when we don't enjoy it' part was most interesting. I would really like to make it a point to walk to work everyday, not just when I feel like it. I doubt that I would come to enjoy it any less.

Plodderman
12-18-2008, 16:10
Without my weeks in the woods every year I would go nuts.

Jan LiteShoe
12-18-2008, 18:12
That 'even when we don't enjoy it' part was most interesting.

Yeah, that struck me too.

Kinda like a long hike. Mine was not always fun or without trial, but the underlying gestalt was without doubt "good for the soul."

Can't say it helped my attention span though. I lost the ability to multi-task.
Maybe that's not a bad thing.

catfishrivers
12-18-2008, 18:22
That is neat to find out. So, I really am clearing my mind when I go for a hike...I always felt the increased blood flow to the brain, and the lack of distraction from processing the event of your day, week, month, etc. were beneficial to me while hiking.

brotheral
12-18-2008, 20:49
I've been preaching this to folks for years.... It's absolutely TRUE !!
I've been splitting 12"-15" Red Oak logs for the cook-stove. I'm so tired, I'm suffering from C.R.S. !! But I sure enjoy busting that stuff up and going into the woods to get it !!
Happy Holy Days everyone :sun BrotherAL

Tinker
12-19-2008, 14:50
That 'even when we don't enjoy it' part was most interesting. I would really like to make it a point to walk to work everyday, not just when I feel like it. I doubt that I would come to enjoy it any less.

There wouldn't be any "silver lining" if it weren't for the clouds.
Hope is a necessary ingredient in the recipe of success.

catfishrivers
12-19-2008, 15:03
Yeah, that struck me too.

Kinda like a long hike. Mine was not always fun or without trial, but the underlying gestalt was without doubt "good for the soul."

Can't say it helped my attention span though. I lost the ability to multi-task.
Maybe that's not a bad thing.

multi-tasking has actually been shown to lower one's IQ, so yes, you are probably better off!

Bumpa
12-19-2008, 15:04
I found the following pinned to a hallway and copied it some years ago..Enjoy....Bumpa

We should have gone into the wilderness.
That is where the healing is, and sanity.
When you go into the land,
You go into your self also,
in dreams, in memories, in talk,
with the spirits and the dead.
Things get clarified in the wild.
That is why wise people go back,
go in when they are troubled and
why they pretend to hunt and fish.
And that is why, if a person is calling for help,
some friend, some guide prepared to be as
close as self, should take him back to the
Wilderness where the windigos inside them
can be freed

Waylan Drew
"Halfway Man"