A research team from Victoria University in Canada published a study showing that walking outside for a short period of time improves cognitive function compared to walking indoors. The research team gathered 30 college students and first walked for 15 minutes twice, indoors and outdoors, and then conducted cognitive tests to measure brain activity before and after. The results showed that those who walked outside had better cognitive test results.
It is said that the activity of the part of the brain responsible for concentration and memory becomes more active, and this result only appeared after exercising outside. The results of this experimental study are published in the academic journal Science Report.
Research so far has already shown that exercise improves cognitive function and that outdoor exercise makes the brain more active than indoor exercise. This time, the research team checked whether cognitive function improved even if exercise outdoors was as short as 20 minutes or less.
Because this experiment was conducted on a small number of subjects (30), it is necessary to secure data on a larger number of people, and the results may change if indoor exercise is longer and the load is more intense. However, what can be considered from the results of this study is that the environment in which one exercises may play a role in influencing cognitive function rather than the exercise itself. In fact, other studies have shown that regularly going to places with a lot of nature leads to improved mental health.
The paper states that as urbanization progresses and people move towards a more indoor lifestyle, the results of this study confirm the importance of spending time in nature, especially exercising. Related information: this placeYou can check it here.
