Posted on 07/27/2015 8:10:04 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Whether it's hiking in the woods or camping under the stars, we've all experienced how time in the outdoors can clear your mind like no medication or even gym workout ever could. Recent research is now adding scientific weight to what nature writers like John Muir have known for centuries: According to a new study from Stanford University, walking in a natural environment for just 90 minutes can ward off negative thought cycles and reduce your risk for developing mental illness.
The study builds on a solid body of research in psychology that suggests natural environments have a restorative, relaxing power on the brain — an effect not found in large, urban settings where mental health issues like anxiety or depression run so rampant.
"Our previous work, and that of others, has shown that mood and memory benefits can come as a result of nature experience," says Greg Bratman, study author. To dig deeper into just how much nature can improve mental wellness, he and his colleagues asked 38 healthy city-dwellers from the San Francisco Bay area to take a 90-minute walk in either a lush greenspace populated with oak trees and shrubs, or a busy three-lane street with heavy traffic in the Palo Alto area. The participants had no history of mental illness but did have higher degrees of rumination — another word for the everyday pattern of worries and anxiety that get us stuck in our own heads. Less rumination means a lower risk for depression and often, a higher degree of cognitive function.
After comparing self-reports from the individuals and taking neuroimaging brain scans before and after the walks, Bratman's team found those who walked in the greenspace exhibited not only lower levels of rumination, but also decreased activity in a part of the prefrontal cortex linked to how our brains process and feel sadness, remorse, guilt, rejection — and possibly denote our risk for mental illness.
"Our general, working hypothesis is that nature is providing a positive distraction for urban and suburbanites," says Bratman. Researchers have also suggested an evolutionary angle: Being in a natural environment taps into an unconscious part of our selves that are predisposed from ancient times to thrive in natural settings — a happy home we once knew, but now miss, given our urban lifestyles. Another theory posits that natural environments give our concentration and focus — or what we use to pay attention on the subway, street, or intersections — a much-needed break and chance to replenish itself. In other words, our brains can breathe.
Bratman says more work has to be done because of the experiment's small sample size, and the findings still have to be replicated in other studies. He adds that an exact prescription of how long you have to spend in a nature setting to reap its rewards still remains to be answered. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a more natural way to clear your head. "Our results should not be casually generalized to a 'one size fits all' solution for all individuals — however, the collective body of findings in environmental psychology suggests that it may be important to ensure city and suburban residents get exposure to nature on a regular basis."
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I’ve been telling Obama that for years!
If HE would take a hike, I would be a lot happier!
I’d guess that in the last 15 years some of the best times of my life have been accompanied by the sound of desert gravel crunching under my boots and the steady pace of my breathing.
Five miles a day! That’s great.
With my tendonitis in the ankles, i need to start back taking little walks. Eveywhere I look, i see folks in worse shape than me, out riding their bikes. I need to try that again too. Five miles a day would be my Dream Achievement.
“My doctor told me to start walking five miles a day. I calls him two weeks later and say ‘doc, I’m 70 miles from my house!’’—Rodney Dangerfield.
Mark Sanford would have been a lot better if he had only taken a hike...
Hey, no flyover.
But the hills in Hollywood are wonderful.. Some lazy paths, some heart busting inclines ... all of them super satisfying. When you need to get centered, or work off worries or concerns, a good walk is called for.
A good hike is good for a healthy mind.
I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s not very likely, however it could help to know the proper protocol.
I named my dog Five Miles a Day so I can say I walked five miles a day.
I’ve never had a hiking stick. But shoes are the most important part. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot.
I moved to Eagle River, Alaska last September. This was my first summer here, and the hiking in Alaska is absolutely breathtaking. Alaska is truly a chunk of heaven here on earth.
Can’t disagree with that. Do you see Bald Eagles?
My first Vasque’s lasted over 20 years and must have had 10,000 miles on them. Indestructible.
Impressive.
I used to hike but I have size 12 1/2 feet. Now when ever I am in the woods the entire cast and crew of the TV show “Finding Bigfoot” show up and start trying to take photos of me. The big redneck guy says “Dude, I thought you’d be taller!”
Good boots are certainly worth what you spend on them. Norwegian welt are my favorites.
As long as you aren’t hiking at the North Pole or at Rankin/Bass National Park, you shouldn’t run into him.
Give me 15 miles of forest to walk through and you make me one happy dude.
I prefer a .357 in a shoulder holster for that environment.
Easier access with a pack on, and better for bear.
...hundreds of other opinions too follow....
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