THE ESSENTIAL
- Green spaces reduce stress, increase the practice of physical activity and reduce exposure to air pollution, noise and excessive heat.
- Cities with green spaces are likely to have a healthier population.
For some time now, the sunny days have returned. Thus, many French people have decided to take advantage of the pleasant weather and temperatures, to expose themselves to the first rays of spring sunshine and to get some fresh air. According to German researchers, spending time outdoors is a good idea because it is good for our brain and improves our well-being. This is what scientists have revealed in a study published in the journal The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry.
As part of their work, the authors investigated the association between spending time outdoors and the structural plasticity of the brain. For this, they followed six healthy city dwellers for six to eight months. All volunteers had to do brain scans. A total of 280 MRIs were performed. Researchers asked participants about their fluid intake, consumption of caffeinated beverages, time spent outdoors and physical activity, to see if these factors changed the link between time spent outdoors and the brain. .
Outdoor walks are good for the brain
According to the study, time spent in outdoor spaces was positively related to gray matter in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain involved in cognitive processes such as memory, attention or planning. time.
“Our results show that our brain structure and mood improve when we spend time outdoors. It is highly likely that this also affects concentration, working memory and the psyche as a whole. We are studying this question in the context of ongoing research”, said Simone Kühn, lead author of the study, in a statement. According to the scientists, their work could prompt doctors to prescribe outdoor walks as part of therapy.