Take a Walk in Nature to Ease Brain Fatigue

Taking short walks in green spaces can help us refresh, according to a new study using portable brain wave measuring technology.

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It’s not the first study to suggest the brain thrives in leafy, green places. But it’s the first to attach electrodes to heads of participants in order to measure brain waves during a walk in nature. Researchers asked participants to walk through green spaces and noisy urban spaces and compared the results.

From Gretchen Reynolds, writing for The New York Times‘ Well blog:

When the volunteers made their way through the urbanized, busy areas, particularly the heavily trafficked commercial district at the end of their walk, their brain wave patterns consistently showed that they were more aroused and frustrated than when they walked through the parkland, where brain-wave readings became more meditative.

While traveling through the park, the walkers were mentally quieter.

Read the full story.

For more on walking meditation, you might want to check out “Walk This Way,” from the June 2013 issue of Mindful magazine.