Regular spending time outdoors and in the fresh air not only ensures well-being, but also influences brain function. This is the conclusion reached by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the Hamburg-Eppendorf Medical Center. The neuroscientific study suggests that this habitaffects cognitive abilities, by positively changing the brain structure.
How brain function benefits from short periods of time outdoors
For their research, the study authors regularly examined healthy, middle-aged city dwellers for six months. In total, the researchers took more than 280 brain scans of the study participants using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The focus of the study was on self-reported behavior over the past 24 hours and specifically on the amount of time each person spent outside before imaging. In addition, they were asked about their fluid intake, consumption of caffeinated drinks, time outdoors, and physical activity to see if these factors changed the relationship between time outdoors and the brain. In order to be able to take seasonal differences into account, the researchers also took into account the duration of sunshine during the study period. The calculations showed that spending time outdoors has a positive effect on the brain, regardless of the other influencing factors.
The study results show that brain structure and mood improve during time spent in nature. This most likely also affects concentration, working memory and the psyche as a whole. Since most psychiatric illnesses are associated with deficits in the prefrontal cortex, this is of particular importance for psychiatry. These findings provide neuroscientific support in the treatment of mental disorders. Doctors could prescribe a walk in the fresh air as part of therapy, according to the study authors. In the ongoing studies, the researchers also want to directly compare the effects of green environments versus urban areas on the brain. To understand where exactly the study participants spend their time outdoors, the authorsthis studyUse GPS data and moreInclude factors such as traffic noise and air pollution.
