Dear Reader, It was marking time at university again, and I've just emerged after finishing the last essays yesterday. I had a quick look around my life, and apparently, my life problems didn't disappear while I was in my marking hole. And it's autumn and it gets dark earlier - well, you know how it is. Depression creeps in a bit. Good time to remind myself (and maybe you) of some first aid happiness. Going for a walkSo, earlier today, I was a bit depressed. I somehow dragged myself into my shoes and out the door. The sun was shortly before setting, and I took the usual route through my beloved Redfern Park. There were people, and the evening atmosphere was lovely. I started to feel better. When I looked up what connects happiness and walking, there is the Vitamin D from the sunlight, but in this case, there wasn't much of that anymore. There might be some endorphins. Maybe the change of scenery. But then I came across an interesting article about a passionate walking researcher from Ireland, Shane O'Mara. Benefits of walkingO'Mara says that "it turns out that the brain systems that support learning, memory and cognition are the same ones that are very badly affected by stress and depression". By a quirk of evolution, these brain systems also support functions such as cognitive mapping, according to O'Mara. When we are walking, that internal GPS is working and keeps those regions from indulging in stress and depression. But there's more! Walking also cranks up our Theta brain waves. Theta helps us into a relaxing state and promotes healing (reminder: beta is everyday life, alpha is daydreaming, theta is deeper relaxation and access to intuition and delta is sleeping). Theta is also needed for spatial learning, which is active when we walk. There we go (pun intended)! Nature relaxes usThen there is nature. Even in the city, there are trees, bushes, birds etc. In my case, I usually go to a park which counts as nature :-) Nature doesn't need to be the wilderness, but it can be "anything green". There are a lot of studies about how seeing even a plant helps us relax. Our species spent millennia in nature, and cities are only a recent event. So, our systems love nature without the sharp edges and lines of the cityscape. A few researchers have studied how a short walk in the city or in a natural setting has an impact on us. This article from the Greater Good Institute summarises them. For example, one study asked participants to walk either along a four-lane road or a woodland area. They were assessed on their emotional state before and after the walk. Further, cognitive measures were taken, such as how well participants could use their short-term memory. Those who walked in nature experienced less anxiety, rumination (focused attention on negative aspects of oneself), and negative affect, as well as more positive emotions, in comparison to the urban walkers. The participants who walked through nature also performed better in short-term memory tasks. So, if you need a first aid happiness booster - put your shoes on and head to the closest park. Have a happy week! Anja |
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