Less screen and more walking to improve memory
Summer is here and the heat seems to hit people to the sofa. The high temperatures outside and the coolness that is at home make the desire of many children to stay at home with their phones, playing video games or watching a series on television. In short, spend their time stuck a screen and do not invest this time of leisure in other activities.
A practice not recommended, not only for health problems resulting from sedentary lifestyle such as overweight or obesity. But because as explained by University of Michigan, staying home is not a good thing for memory. On the other hand, walking in a natural and open environment does favor the development of this intellectual capacity.
Benefits of open space
The researchers of this work had the participants perform a task during 35 minutes which included the repetition of random numbers that should be retransmitted to the experimenter. After this special cognitive work they had to take a walk. One of the groups around a space full of trees and the other on a street in the city. Upon his return, the subjects repeated the memory test.
The results showed that the performance of the people in the test improved almost 20% after wandering among the trees. On the contrary, the subjects who did the same in a busy street did not improve their memory results in this test. In a second part of this investigation it was demonstrated that the mere exposure of individuals to images of natural environments already helped to improve their cognitive abilities.
A test that shows that it is always better to manage in a natural environment than to stay at home surrounded by 4 walls, not only because of the dangers involved in sedentary lifestyle, but because of the benefits it has for the memory of those who practice them. A good excuse to put on the right shoes and go to the open spaces to spend the day.
Tips for field trip
Determined to go to the field of excursion? Well, but remember that all activity requires its preparation and this is no less. Here are some tips to spend a great family day in this natural environment:
1. Appropriate footwear and clothing. Wear transpire T-shirts and comfortable shoes for long walks is essential for activities such as hiking. Never forget that although it is not an exercise like going for a run, it is a physical activity.
2. Sunscreen. Even if you are on the beach, you are going to spend hours under the Astro Rey during which burns may occur if the proper measures are not taken. Always carry cream factor that best suits the tone of your skin.
3. A map indicating the route you are going to follow. It never hurts to know where you are treading and what direction you should take. In this sense it is also recommended to carry the mobile phone in case you need to make an emergency call at some point.
4. Hydration. Do not forget that we are in summer and that a physical activity is being carried out. For this reason water should always be present to stay hydrated, especially if you are going with children.
5. Mosquito repellents since these are very present in this environment. Especially in areas near streams and rivers. So as not to return with bites to the house, having these lotions against small suckers is essential.
Damián Montero
