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We've all experienced how time outdoors can clear your mind and ease stress, but there's new evidence that taking a hike can do much more: it can change our brains. From lessening negativity to boosting creativity, hiking in fresh air actually boosts brain power and can help certain parts of the brain grow. One of least expensive activities to get involved in, hikes don't have to be up the Himalayas to make them worthwhile for the brain. Here's what we know from the latest studies:
Solve Problems—Without a Cellphone
A few years ago, researchers sent backpackers out in two groups for a four-day hike: one with cell phones and plenty of tech and the others with—gasp—no technology at all. But while the technology-clad group stayed more connected with the outside world, the au naturel group's problem solving and creative thinking improved by a whopping 50 percent over those who had tech to help them. The study found that even though the technology helped get backpackers from point A to point B, it actually was so distracting that it lowered their cognitive function. So while you should absolutely carry your phone for emergency purposes on a hike (or even when you travel), try to keep it out of sight—and definitely out of mind. You'll be a better problem-solving traveler (and explorer) because of it.
Walk More, Forget Less
In 2010, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh found that a stroll three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus, or what is essentially the brain’s memory hub. Especially important in seniors, walking often for about 40 minutes can help keep people mentally sharper and stave off Alzheimer's and other memory-based illnesses. In fact, the study found that more active volunteers cut their risk of memory impairment in half by walking the suggested amount a week. Entire countries are hopping on board, with the Natural Resources Institute Finland recommending a minimum dose of five hours of nature a month, split into short weekly walks out of the city, to help improve mental health and memory.
Cut the Negativity
Brooding. We've all been there—and done that—but last year, two Stanford studies found that walking a physical path (specifically away from traffic) can help eliminate the obsessive and negative thoughts that come with brooding behavior. After comparing the brain scans of walkers who had hiked near traffic and those who had wandered through a park, the scientists found that less blood was flowing into the subgenual prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with negative rumination. Not only did the park walkers feel better, but the psychological benefits of a calm, leisurely walk were clearly quantified in the brain.
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