Nature Calms The Mind, Brain Scans Prove

Girl in Tree

I know how much calmer I feel when I’m surrounded by the natural world, but now there is really good science to explain why.

New research published in the journal NeuroImage used brain scanning to monitor neural activity in people who were shown two types of images: Tranquil beach scenes and non-tranquil highway scenes. The sound track behind both types of images was the same: A constant roar.

The results were astounding: Tranquil scenes caused distinct brain areas to become connected to one another, indicating that these regions were working in sync. In contrast, the non-tranquil highway scenes disrupted connections within the brain. In short: Images of nature caused a positive physical reaction in the brain!

The National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There campaign is all about getting kids and families outside. And now, you can help us inspire people to go outside. So I guess you can say this campaign is all about getting kids’ brains in sync so they are healthier and happier!