Peaceful landscapes have a positive effect on brain function, according to the latest research.
Researchers from the University of Sheffield decided to check how living in a calm environment can affect the functioning of the brain, informs the website EurekAlert.
Research reveals that a tranquil environment made of natural elements such as the sea leads to separate areas of the brain connecting, while an environment made up of by human hands disrupts these connections.
Researchers analyzed brain x-rays to see how he worked when participants were presented with pictures of tranquil beach landscapes, and when they watched restless scenes from the highway.
Using a brain scan that measures brain activity, they found that the sight of peaceful landscapes triggered connections between different areas of the brain that began to work together in sync. The images of the highway, in turn, caused these connections to be broken.
People experienced calmness as a state of tranquility and reflection, which has a restorative effect compared to the stressful effects of sustained attention in everyday life. It is well known that the natural environment evokes a feeling of peace, while the urban environment gives a feeling of anxiety. We wanted to understand how the brain works when it observes the natural environment, so we measured the experience of peace, said Dr. Michael Hunter of Sheffield Cognition and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Sheffield.
This work could have an impact on the design of more peaceful public spaces and buildings, including hospitals, as it provides a way to measure the impact of the environment and architectural features on the human psyche, said Professor Peter Woodruff of SCANLab. (PAP)