Avoiding gadgets for a few days will boost mental performance
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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In the modern world, electronic devices have become an integral part of human life. Now almost every home has laptops, computers and tablets, and new models of mobile phones appear, like mushrooms after the rain, just keep track. It is impossible to argue with the fact that all these gadgets and devices make a person's life easier and more convenient. Nevertheless, most people will probably agree that such useful and necessary electronic devices, nevertheless, have alienated man from nature, and children from entertainment with peers in the yard. The Internet often delays us into its networks, and we forget about time.
The results of the research of scientists are published in the pages of the scientific journal PLoS ONE.
Scientists from the University of Utah argue that if you tear yourself away from your computer, leave your phone, book readers, and all possible gadgets at home, and spend some time outdoors, you can increase your intellectual potential.
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The researchers found that those people who spent four to six days in nature and were deprived of the opportunity to use electronic devices showed the best results when performing creative tasks.
The study involved 54 American adults (the average age was 28 years) who spent six days surrounded by nature, on a hike, without any electronic devices.
Before the experiment began, 24 people answered 10 questions of a special test, which was developed back in the 1960s and was used to determine the level of a person's creativity, as well as the ability to deal effectively with stress and unpleasant situations. On average, they scored 4.14 points. The remaining participants of the experiment passed the same test, but already on return, and showed significant improvements - they gave 50% more correct answers and scored an average of 6.08 points.
Experts say that walking in the fresh air is not only a pleasant pastime, but also the ability to "ventilate brains". People who are rarely in nature, constantly sit behind computer monitors and are not separated from other achievements of modern technologies, with the passage of time increasingly difficult to concentrate and lose the opportunity to generate new ideas.
"We showed how even a four-day walk can improve a man's cognitive abilities. Rest from electronic devices enhances creativity and improves the cognitive abilities of a person, the researchers say. "Our research once again proves that interaction with nature has real, tangible advantages for creative solutions to problems."
Scientists recommend more often to be outdoors and enjoy nature in reality, and not to ruin their physical and mental health, sitting out for days behind the monitors, more and more immersed in the virtual world of the Internet.