View to the northeast, toward Sacramento
The weather in the Bay Area was glorious today, so Cappuccino and I decided to walk up Vollmer Peak to the top of the world. We needed the exercise and we needed to get out of the house.
Wandering in the woods does marvels for one’s thoughts. We humans grew up moving in the great outdoors. In Brain Rules, John Medina writes that if you want something to stick in your memory, learn it while walking outside. Alvaro Fernandez relates physical fitness to brain fitness. The impact of learning disorders subsides in half the kids who take breaks in the woods instead of concrete playgrounds.
Today’s New York Times reports that
New research suggests that play and down time may be as important to a child’s academic experience as reading, science and math, and that regular recess, fitness or nature time can influence behavior, concentration and even grades.
I appreciate the fact that it’s easier for those of us who are self-employed or unemployed to knock off for 45 minutes to walk the dog. However, for overall productivity, all of us should adopt the routine. A mind atrophies in a windowless office or cube, especially when it’s situated in an immobile body.
Besides, your dog will love you for it.
Related posts:
Brain Rules, John Medina
Learning Takes Brains
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