Outdoors improves concentration even in cold weather

Going for a walk outside helps improve concentration , even in cold weather, according to research from the University of Michigan published in Psychological Science . According to the authors, walking in the countryside or strolling in a park, whether it is hot or cold, increases memory and attention improves by 20 percent after an hour of interaction with nature.

Researchers think the results may have broader repercussions and help people with mental fatigue. Interacting with nature has also been shown to decrease the recovery time of cancer patients .

The distractions and bustle of city streets with people crossing the streets stimulates people, but seems to consume attention and memory, while nature has a calming and regenerative effect on people.

The researchers also tested the theory by showing urban and nature images and again the results were the same: when looking at photographs of nature, memory and attention improve by 20 percent , but not when looking at images of urban areas.