Why we do it... or "the city hurts your brain, it's official"

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gnius

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Jul 1, 2008
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Disclaimer: I really think that despite the general nature of this post, it's most appropriate here, at the W&SS forum, because it will ring so incredibly true for all of us. To the mods - please read it, and if you think it belongs elsewhere feel free to move it.

I ran into a very interesting article this morning, which confirmed my personal observations from the last 10 years of living in New York City.

Boston Globe said:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/01/04/how_the_city_hurts_your_brain/
The city has always been an engine of intellectual life... And yet, city life isn't easy...

...Now scientists have begun to examine how the city affects the brain, and the results are chastening. Just being in an urban environment, they have found, impairs our basic mental processes. After spending a few minutes on a crowded city street, the brain is less able to hold things in memory, and suffers from reduced self-control...
Click to expand...

So now we know much of the reason why so many of us are subconsciously but inexorably drawn into the wilderness, where we're willing to survive without modern amenities, but where we can find the peace that seems so utterly lacking.

For me, regular getaways into nature are absolutely essential for my emotional and psychological well being, as well as for my ability to think clearly. If I do not take a trip into the woods (even just up to the Catskills) then within 1-2 months my mind loses its sharpness, and I begin to lose focus of my goals and wander. For a scientist, that's a terrible place to find oneself at.

Comments?
 
There is no doubt in my mind about this. I moved out of NYC when I was a kid and fell in love with the woods.

There is a great book on this if one wants to take it further. It is called The last child in the woods. It correlates childhood obesity, ADHD and the shrinking woods, free play areas in the US.
 
agree 100%. I get quite angry living in the city, surrounded by noise, 24/7 daylight (thanks to the streetlights), noise, idiots, ads everywhere etc etc etc. I'm only truly at peace when i'm in the woods.
 
Here is another tidbit for ya.
Scientists studying the brain wave patterns of people who meditate found that they learned to enter an Alpha brain wave state after about 6 months practice. The benefits are reduced stress, improved mental clarity etc.

The same researchers found that the same and longer lasting benefits could be gained within 15 minutes without training or practice by entering the woods or another rural area.

Personaly I can't stand city life.
 
This makes perfect sense to me. Those of us who live in cities must deal with a constant bombardment of light and sound, which, among other things, disrupts normal circadian rhythms. Two years ago, my building was under construction for six months, and between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm, being home meant listening to jackhammers and smelling concrete dust. Ugh.

There's a reason we always refer to the wilderness as a space of "peace and quiet".

Since I moved from Ottawa to Toronto, I have been so conscious of the overbearing presence of 'the city', that my wilderness outings now feature moments where I just stop and sit down to enjoy the presence of nature. I always appreciated it before, but it's increasingly important to me these days.

If it weren't for my job, I would be far, far away from here!

All the best,

- Mike
 
So........... what they are actually saying is, our futures are dependent on those elected by knuckle heads that can't control themselves, but are easily controlled by outside forces.
 
The bush is how I put my head back on straight as well. Unfortunately, the last couple of years havn't presented much time for getting out.
 
Theres a flip side to this. Many people do love big cities. And dislike the outdoors.

Myself personally, we relocated from suburban Los Angeles to rural mountain community.
 
Thanks for that. I was beginning to think I was crazy. I avoid cities like the plague. I feel like a deer caught in the headlights. Even my navigation skills go to heck in cities. When I'm in big cities, my alcohol consumption goes way up, too. You'd have to be drunk or on drugs just to want to stay there.
 
Much like having cold winters and warm summers, living in the city and playing in the country, has its benefits.
Takes one to appreciate the other.
 
wildmike said:
Here is another tidbit for ya.
Scientists studying the brain wave patterns of people who meditate found that they learned to enter an Alpha brain wave state after about 6 months practice. The benefits are reduced stress, improved mental clarity etc.

The same researchers found that the same and longer lasting benefits could be gained within 15 minutes without training or practice by entering the woods or another rural area.

Personaly I can't stand city life.
Click to expand...

Mike - a link to this study. I would like to read more.

TF
 
Agree with that 110%. I need to get away everyonce in a while or no one can deal with me.. Actualy been told that i need to get away by family cause they cant deal with me. Unless i get a few days away from city.

Sasha
 
Horn Dog said:
Thanks for that. I was beginning to think I was crazy. I avoid cities like the plague. I feel like a deer caught in the headlights. Even my navigation skills go to heck in cities. When I'm in big cities, my alcohol consumption goes way up, too. You'd have to be drunk or on drugs just to want to stay there.
Click to expand...

yup same here.
 
Horn Dog said:
Thanks for that. I was beginning to think I was crazy. I avoid cities like the plague. I feel like a deer caught in the headlights. Even my navigation skills go to heck in cities. When I'm in big cities, my alcohol consumption goes way up, too. You'd have to be drunk or on drugs just to want to stay there.
Click to expand...

Perhaps this is the source of the memory loss and headaches.

That's the problem with many of these "studies." Correlation does not infer causation.

Not that I really like living in the city, but just a caution to take these "studies" for what they are; a way to funnel federal grant money into some researcher's program.
 
Here is a good research idea, does writing about wilderness experiences bring about a similar affect as being out in the woods?

Even if I am in a city I know I can access similar feelings of calm when I am on W&SS. Plus there is also community another factor for relieving stress.
 
interesting article, thanks for sharing it.

i thought it was interesting that even looking at a photo of nature can improve brain function, at least compared to those shown photos of city streets. the imagination is a powerful thing, and i think that meditation can help a person stay focused on one dimension by allowing them to go to a "calm place"-essentially, the wilderness in their mind, where they don't need to focus.

the ability to just "tune out" even though its usually frowned upon as rude and can leave you wondering what's going on when you come back to the present, can be a great thing to take a second and recharge yourself.

anyways, thanks for sharing that, i found it really interesting. i also thought it was well written, which is a bonus.
 
hlee said:
Perhaps this is the source of the memory loss and headaches.

That's the problem with many of these "studies." Correlation does not infer causation.

Not that I really like living in the city, but just a caution to take these "studies" for what they are; a way to funnel federal grant money into some researcher's program.
Click to expand...

Thanks - some of us just so happen to be researchers you know :mad: Not trying to get political - but research isn't always just a money flush. In fact, most of our grants have actual deliverables associated with them and they are awarded based on the merit of a proposal and demonstrated reputation of the PI ;)
 
I suppose that those who live in large urban areas eventually learn to cope with it and tune out much of the noise. But I think the research is onto something.
 
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