Even a short time spent in nature can significantly alter how the brain works. This conclusion was reached by an international team of scientists who analyzed more than one hundred scientific studies. The results of the review were published in the Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

The researchers examined data from various scientific fields and described a sequence of changes in brain function that occur during contact with nature. They referred to this sequence as a «cascade pattern.»

According to the scientists, the brain finds it easier to process visual structures typical of natural environments. Such forms require less effort than perceiving the dense and rapidly changing stimuli of urban settings or internet content.

When sensory load decreases, systems responsible for stress begin to stabilize. The body exits the «fight or flight» mode: heart rate slows, breathing becomes deeper, and brain regions associated with threat detection show reduced activity.

Against this background, attention gradually shifts from a tense, problem-solving mode to a restorative one. Activity in brain networks linked to repetitive self-focused thinking also decreases.

The positive effect is observed across different forms of interaction with nature—such as walking in parks, near bodies of water, in forests, or by waterfalls. According to the researchers, noticeable changes can appear after just three minutes of such exposure, and the effect improves with longer time spent in nature.

Mengli KULYEVA,

International magazine «Türkmenistan Sport».