The 3-Day Effect: Your Brain on Nature

We work our brains hard in today's digital world. Our schedules are packed, we're constantly on-the-go, and we're engaged almost every minute of every day (with people, our phones, our work, school, etc.). Our brains are tired and they need a break! They need time to relax, reset and restore. And guess what? Three days in nature is the perfect fix.

In our day-to-day lives, our prefrontal cortex (the brain's command and attention center) is continuously stimulated. We go-go-go and do-do-do. Sometimes that feels great, like we're super human and hyper productive. Other times it feels stressful and awful, and all you want to do is curl up under the covers and hide in bed. Whether your jam-packed day leaves you feeling super human or super awful your brain gets fatigued.

Cue nature. When we're out in nature, our brain gets a second to breathe and recover. Our prefrontal cortex gets dialed down and other parts of our brain kick up a notch - like those associated with sensory perception, empathy and productive day-dreaming. Our creativity increases, our senses heighten, and our cognitive functioning improves - by almost 50%! That sounds nice (and helpful), doesn't it?
Read more about the original study by clicking here.