VOA慢速英语2018--Camping Is Good for Your Brain

 

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

The 19th-century American writer and naturalist¹ 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 Strayer², a professor of psychology³ 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.

That is when time in the great outdoors and a camping trip can help. Friends and family take time off and escape to nature for several days. They take walks, climb, explore, swim, sleep, eat and play. Camping may be just want a tech-tired brain needs.

Take Carl, for example. He lives in West Virginia and enjoys camping. He says that being outdoors makes him feel at ease. It also prepares him for the work he must do.

"Camping give us a chance to be in touch with nature and it's a little less busy than our regular day-to-day life. And it's very relaxing. So, when you return to work on Monday generally you're in a better state of mind. I really like the way I feel on Monday. I'm refreshed for work."

Kate Somers also lives in West Virginia. She says she enjoys camping with her husband and two children. She calls it a “regenerative” experience, meaning it gives her new life and energy.

"I find that it brings me a measure of peace that comes with the quiet and often the solitude⁴. I find it pretty regenerative and something that I like to do with some regularity⁵ so that I can keep tapping into that.”

Scientists may agree.

At the University of Utah, David Strayer has studied both short-term and long-term exposure to nature. He found that spending short amounts of time in nature without technology does calm the brain and helps it to remember better. However, he found, it is the long-term contact with nature that does the most good.

He and his research team found that spending three days in nature without any technology is enough time for the brain to fully⁶ relax and reset⁷ itself. He calls this the “three-day syndrome”. He claims that spending long amounts of time in nature will help:

rest and recharge the brain

improve our productivity⁸

lower our stress levels

and make us feel better.

Kate Somers agrees. She says that, while long walks are great, camping for several days is a better, more complete experience.

"We feel it (camping) gives us all the ability to immerse⁹ ourselves more in the out-of-doors rather than just going on day hike. Here you get to spend more time out-of-doors and just kind of be in the space rather than necessarily always moving through it."

Camping, Carl adds, teaches you to know your surroundings and to think about one thing at a time. This is similar to Strayer’s claim that being in nature calms the brain and helps it to focus. It can show you how to take care of yourself in difficult situations. And this can help to increase your confidence in your abilities.

"Well, I think being more aware, in general, is something that transfers well to day-to-day life. I think being able to focus on one task. I think the self-confidence of knowing you can taking care of yourself in an adverse¹⁰ environment carries over well to day-to-day life.”

Nature as teacher

Giving your brain a rest so that it can work better is a great reason to go camping. But it is not the only reason. Nature is great teacher.

“And learning about animals and nature environments is different when it's hands-on than when it's in school -- learning to deal with the weather; and learning to stay dry in the rain or warm in the snow; learning how to keep your feet in good condition when you're hiking and walking; learning how to dress for the elements ..."

Kate Somers adds that her camping experiences have given her confidence to deal with problems.

"It is definitely more challenging in the beginning just, sort of, be able to anticipate what you'll need and to know how to deal with certain situations.”

So, taking a long walk in the woods or by the ocean or in a city park is, of course, wonderful. But camping requires that you spend more time in nature and it can test you in different ways. You must immerse yourself more deeply in nature. And the health benefits can be deeper as well.

And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report.

I’m Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

relax – v. to make or become loose or less tense : relaxing – adj.

refresh – v. to make (someone) have more energy and feel less tired or less hot

solitude – n. a state or situation in which you are alone usually because you want to be

regenerate¹¹ – v. to give new life to (something) regenerative – adj.

tap into – phrasal verb to manage to use something in a way that brings good results

immerse – v. to make (yourself) fully involved in some activity or interest

hands-on – adj. gained by actually doing something rather than learning about it from books, lectures, etc.

adverse – adj. bad or unfavorable : not good

confidence – n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something

challenging – adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable?

anticipate – v. to think of (something that will or might happen in the future)

1 naturalist   

n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者)

参考例句：

• He was a printer by trade and naturalist by avocation.他从事印刷业，同时是个博物学爱好者。
• The naturalist told us many stories about birds.博物学家给我们讲述了许多有关鸟儿的故事。

2 strayer   

迷路者，流浪者，不走正路的人

参考例句：

3 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

4 solitude   

n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方

参考例句：

• People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
• They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。

5 regularity   

n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐

参考例句：

• The idea is to maintain the regularity of the heartbeat.问题就是要维持心跳的规律性。
• He exercised with a regularity that amazed us.他锻炼的规律程度令我们非常惊讶。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

8 productivity   

n.生产力，生产率，多产

参考例句：

• Farmers are introducing in novations which increase the productivity.农民们正引进提高生产力的新方法。
• The workers try to put up productivity.工人设法提高生产率。

9 immerse   

v.使沉浸在，使深陷于；使浸没在

参考例句：

• Immerse the cloth in the dye for twenty minutes.把布浸在染料里20分钟。
• Don't immerse yourself in the infliction too long.不要长时间沉浸在痛苦经历中。

10 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

11 regenerate   

vt.使恢复，使新生；vi.恢复，再生；adj.恢复的

参考例句：

• Their aim is to regenerate British industry.他们的目的是复兴英国的工业。
• Although it is not easy,you have the power to regenerate your life.尽管这不容易，但你有使生活重获新生的能力。