The 19th-century American writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau knew the importance of nature. Thoreau filled his books and notes with observations about human life and its basic need for nature. Those writings have probably never been more important than they are today. On average, Americans spend about 10 hours a day in front of a computer or other electronic device and less than 30 minutes a day outdoors.

That is a claim made by David Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah. In his 2017 TEDTalk, Strayer explained that all this time spent with technology is making our brains tired.

Using an electronic device – answering emails, listening to the news, looking at Facebook -- puts a lot of pressure on the prefrontal cortex, the front of the brain. This area, Strayer explains, is important for critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.

So, it is important to give the brain a rest. And being in nature, Strayer claims, helps refresh a brain that is tired from too much technology.

Aliqismet BADALOV,
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