The University of Utah’s Applied Cognition Lab utilizes electroencephalography (EEG) to uncover insights into the potential restorative benefits of being immersed in nature. EEG is used for numerous purposes in neuroscience, such as detecting abnormalities and observing brain functions.

“We primarily use EEG for our studies because it allows us to monitor brain activity in real time, even outdoors,” said David Strayer, professor of psychology and principal investigator in the Applied Cognition Lab. One research project analyzes the effects of taking a break from digital platforms and spending time outdoors.

“Our research aims to go beyond the intuitive belief that ‘nature feels good’ and scientifically investigate how the brain responds to natural environments,” added Strayer, whose prior research into distracted driving drew national headlines.

The average American spends close to 10 hours a day in front of a screen—a staggering but unsurprising amount of time given the widespread dependence on computers and phones for professional and leisurely use. This “digital saturation” may come with costs, especially when it replaces time spent outdoors.

Participants in the U studies wear a 32-channel, high-impedance EEG cap. One group took a walk through Red Butte Garden, the U’s tranquil botanical reserve in the foothills east of campus, while another group took a walk across an urban corridor near the medical campus. Some walks are done with smartphones in hand; others are completely free of digital distractions.

Their initial observations indicate that time in nature improves brain function. However, these benefits are obstructed—or sometimes outright negated—if an individual is using a phone or other electronic devices while outdoors.

“We can monitor how the brain responds before and after a walk,” Strayer said. “And the data show that being in nature—without a phone—is significantly more restorative.”

The brain is currently modeled with four separate attentional networks: alerting (remaining awake and alert); orienting (finding the source of a sudden event); executive attentional network (part of problem-solving, planning and creativity); and default mode (active during passive activities like meditation or mind wandering).

Strayer’s work focuses on the brain’s executive attentional network located in the prefrontal cortex, a region associated with planning, decision-making and creativity. It’s especially vulnerable to fatigue from multitasking and digital overload.

“In modern urban environments, the executive attentional network gets taxed,” he said. “But in nature, especially when you’re not multitasking, it gets a chance to recover.”

“Cognitive performance improves, creativity spikes, and emotional stress decreases,” he said. “We’re seeing changes in brain regions like the anterior cingulate cortex, and this aligns with what people have described anecdotally for centuries.”

Strayer’s interdisciplinary team, which includes Elliot Smith and Rhiannon Cowan (neurosurgery) and Jeanine Stefanucci and Amy McDonnell (psychology), is also working with epilepsy patients who have deep-brain electrodes implanted as part of their treatment. These patients, confined to their hospital beds for extended stays, are fitted with virtual reality equipment that simulates both urban and natural environments.

“These patients can’t walk around Red Butte, but they can walk through a forest in VR,” Strayer said. “And because we know exactly where the electrodes are implanted, we can see which brain structures respond to nature.”

Added Smith: “We hope that through the use of our cutting-edge human neuroscience employing VR and single neuron recordings form the human brain we can shed light on how nature benefits the brain at its fundamental unit, which could help bed-bound or nature-deprived populations.”

The researchers aim to use these deep-brain recordings to confirm what the EEG studies in Red Butte Garden show: time in nature stimulates key cognitive and emotional centers of the brain—even if the forest is virtual.

With growing evidence in hand, the team is now working to answer more specific questions: How long does someone need to spend in nature to see measurable benefits? Do different types of natural settings produce different effects? And how long do the improvements last?

“We’re starting to figure that out,” Strayer said. “The data are pointing us toward a more nuanced understanding of how the brain recharges—and how we can design experiences and environments that support mental well-being.”

The Applied Cognition Lab’s recent research articles, “The influence of a walk in nature on human resting brain activity” and “Immersion in nature enhances neural indices of executive attention,” have been published in the Nature family of journals.

• Brian Maffly Science writer, University of Utah Communications
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