A Walk In The Park Keeps Mental Fatigue At Bay

Wellness

oi-Staff

By Staff

Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 11:11

Take a nice walk in the park to improve your memory and attentiveness. According to a new study conducted by Marc G. Berman, John Jonides, and Stephen Kaplan from the University of Michigan, nature has a positive affect on an individual's mental health.

For the study two experiments were conducted to test how interactions with nature and urban environments would affect attention and memory processes. At first the participants were assigned to complete a task that was designed to test memory. After this the volunteers took a walk in the park or in downtown Ann Arbor. They were than retested on the task.

In the second set up the participants viewed either nature photographs or photographs of urban environments and were asked to repeat the task again. The results revealed that the memory task improved after a walk in the nature, but did not improve for volunteers who walked downtown.

The tests also revealed that the participants who viewed nature photographs performed better than those individuals who went through city scenes.

It was then suggested that city atmosphere provided a complex patten stimulation, that are tough to sort out and interpret. The natural environment offer a more coherent (and often more aesthetic) pattern of stimulation that, far from requiring effort, are often experienced as restful.

So, now you know where to head off to in order to sort out your mind. AGENCIES

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.