Can time in nature improve brain fog?

Studies have shown that time spent connecting with nature can restore and improve your concentration capabilities. This is thought to be because it can give the part of the brain that is responsible for active concentration time to rest.

 According to Attention Restoration Theory we have two forms of attention; voluntary or directed and involuntary or undirected.  When we gaze at beautiful scenery, watch the reflections on a river or enjoy clouds drifting by, we are using  involuntary or undirected attention, which is triggered by external stimuli.

We use directed attention when we perform active cognitive tasks like reading, planning, scanning social media or problem solving. Directed attention helps us prioritise and ignore irrelevant information but it eventually leads to mental fatigue and brain fog if we don’t give our mind time in undirected attention. 

Spending time in undirected attention, appreciating nature, gives our mind and nervous system time to rest and recover, healing the impacts of mental fatigue and reducing brain fog. So, it seems daydreaming can be good for you after all - I wish my maths teacher had known that!