Why make your next vacation a nature adventure?
Guanacos in Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia. Photo credit: Wayfaring Travel Guide Why make your next vacation a nature adventure? 1) NATURE IS GOOD FOR OUR BRAINS Time in nature enhances our mental functioning, helping us focus and remember better. A 2009 Boston Globe article tracked studies that demonstrate that hospital patients recover faster when they can see trees from their windows, and that women living in public housing are better able to focus when their apartment overlooks a grassy courtyard rather than concrete. Scientists theorize that even such fleeting glimpses of nature improve brain performance by providing a mental break from the cognitive processing demands of urban environments. Beech-maple forest, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Photo credit: National Park Service City dwellers, who are constantly impacted by visual and aural noise, find it harder to concentrate and are more prone to irritable moods and impulsive behavior. Ste...