Another Way Green Is Good

Myself and many like me have found that sitting behind a desk at a computer for most of the day brings on a physical, mental and emotional fatigue all of its own. We’ve discovered that a walk around the block or a stroll through a local park goes a long way in rejuvenating a “ fuzzy brain”. A new study from Scotland supports this. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh monitored the brain activity of twelve healthy young adults using portable EEGs while they walked through different areas, a park, a busy commercial district, and a shopping district. No surprise here that the park like setting brought on a sense of calm relaxation. In this day and age of continuous stimuli and connectivity many people feel a sense of guilt if they “disconnect” themselves even for brief amounts of time. But we need to take those breaks from work or study in order to clear our heads so we can function better and cope with the world around us. Taking the time to interact with the natural environment, or even just viewing a green space from your office window shouldn’t be considered unproductive, it is restorative recovery therapy. It’s necessary, and it’s free!