End Note - December 2011

Take a Walk in the Park

December 18, 2011

Author: Catherine M. Callery (Kate)| Louise M. Tarantino

Feeling stressed?  Need a break? Who doesn’t at this time of year, especially if you are putting in long hours reading files or writing memos?  Michael Posner, an emeritus profession at the University of Oregon, reminds us that our brains, like any muscle, get tired after working for sustained periods.  Posner, who studies attention, says that this is particularly true if we are concentrating intensely.

But what is the most effective way to take a break?  According to Marc Berman, a post-doctoral researcher at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto and fellow researchers at the University of Michigan, a walk in the woods improved memory and attention by 20%.  Taking a walk down a busy street did not provide the same cognitive boost.  Even looking at pictures of nature improved cognitive performance more than a city walk.

But it’s December in New York, you might say.  Some of the studies, however, were conducted in an arboretum in Michigan in the winter.  As Dr. Berman told the Wall Street Journal in an article published on August 30, 2011, “[y]ou don’t necessarily have to enjoy the walk to get the benefit.  What you like is not necessarily going to be good for you.” 

According to Berman and his associates, nature engages our “involuntary attention,” where we are drawn to something interesting that does not require intense focus.  Obviously, walking down a busy city street requires a bit more attention.  If you aren’t near nature, Dr. Berman suggests a quieter city street with some natural elements to look at. 

So bundle up and go outside.