[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] one of the benefits of living in the
one of the benefits of living in the
one of the benefits of living in the state of Utah where I live is easy
state of Utah where I live is easy
state of Utah where I live is easy access to outdoor recreation we have
access to outdoor recreation we have
access to outdoor recreation we have amazing national parks mountains to ski
amazing national parks mountains to ski
amazing national parks mountains to ski and explore deserts to hike and rivers
and explore deserts to hike and rivers
and explore deserts to hike and rivers to raft a few years ago I was hiking in
to raft a few years ago I was hiking in
to raft a few years ago I was hiking in arches national park and as I rounded
arches national park and as I rounded
arches national park and as I rounded the corner to see a stunning view of
the corner to see a stunning view of
the corner to see a stunning view of landscape arch I was surprised to find a
landscape arch I was surprised to find a
landscape arch I was surprised to find a woman with her back to the arch she was
woman with her back to the arch she was
woman with her back to the arch she was holding a cell phone in one hand and her
holding a cell phone in one hand and her
holding a cell phone in one hand and her finger in the other ear talking really
finger in the other ear talking really
finger in the other ear talking really loudly everyone could hear that she was
loudly everyone could hear that she was
loudly everyone could hear that she was on the phone she was actually trading
on the phone she was actually trading
on the phone she was actually trading stocks at that point in time she might
stocks at that point in time she might
stocks at that point in time she might as well have been standing in a
as well have been standing in a
as well have been standing in a supermarket parking lot she even though
supermarket parking lot she even though
supermarket parking lot she even though she was physically outside she was
she was physically outside she was
she was physically outside she was completely disconnected from the natural
completely disconnected from the natural
completely disconnected from the natural world for centuries nature writers from
world for centuries nature writers from
world for centuries nature writers from Thoreau to Muir to Abby to Williams have
Thoreau to Muir to Abby to Williams have
Thoreau to Muir to Abby to Williams have advised it to spend more time in nature
advised it to spend more time in nature
advised it to spend more time in nature they’ve cautioned that there’s a tension
they’ve cautioned that there’s a tension
they’ve cautioned that there’s a tension between the technology filled urban
between the technology filled urban
between the technology filled urban world and the wild and natural world to
world and the wild and natural world to
world and the wild and natural world to be certain technology’s always been with
be certain technology’s always been with
be certain technology’s always been with us and it’s fundamentally changed who we
us and it’s fundamentally changed who we
us and it’s fundamentally changed who we are our ancestors mastered fire invented
are our ancestors mastered fire invented
are our ancestors mastered fire invented the printing press and the written
the printing press and the written
the printing press and the written language created automobiles telephones
language created automobiles telephones
language created automobiles telephones televisions computers and the internet
televisions computers and the internet
televisions computers and the internet more recently
more recently
more recently smartphones allow us to connect to the
smartphones allow us to connect to the
smartphones allow us to connect to the digital world 24/7 we’re spending more
digital world 24/7 we’re spending more
digital world 24/7 we’re spending more and more time in front of a digital
and more time in front of a digital
and more time in front of a digital device and less and less time
device and less and less time
device and less and less time interacting face-to-face with other
interacting face-to-face with other
interacting face-to-face with other people or exploring nature in fact the
people or exploring nature in fact the
people or exploring nature in fact the average American spends more than 10
average American spends more than 10
average American spends more than 10 hours a day
hours a day
hours a day in front of a digital screen that
in front of a digital screen that
in front of a digital screen that includes interactions on facebook
includes interactions on facebook
includes interactions on facebook texting emails Twitter and the TV what’s
texting emails Twitter and the TV what’s
texting emails Twitter and the TV what’s even more alarming is we’re only
even more alarming is we’re only
even more alarming is we’re only spending less than 30 minutes a day
spending less than 30 minutes a day
spending less than 30 minutes a day outside now all this technology at our
outside now all this technology at our
outside now all this technology at our fingertips it tempts us to multitask
fingertips it tempts us to multitask
fingertips it tempts us to multitask like the mental gym that’s switching
like the mental gym that’s switching
like the mental gym that’s switching from one task to the next you may think
from one task to the next you may think
from one task to the next you may think that you are an excellent multitasker
that you are an excellent multitasker
that you are an excellent multitasker you may think that you’re a super Tasker
you may think that you’re a super Tasker
you may think that you’re a super Tasker but we’re deluding ourselves with all
but we’re deluding ourselves with all
but we’re deluding ourselves with all this multitasking my lab has studied
this multitasking my lab has studied
this multitasking my lab has studied thousands of people around the world and
thousands of people around the world and
thousands of people around the world and we consistently find that only about 2%
we consistently find that only about 2%
we consistently find that only about 2% of the population are really good at
of the population are really good at
of the population are really good at multitasking the rest of us the 98%
multitasking the rest of us the 98%
multitasking the rest of us the 98% we’re just not very good at it that’s
we’re just not very good at it that’s
we’re just not very good at it that’s just the way the brain works
just the way the brain works
just the way the brain works research shows that multitasking wastes
research shows that multitasking wastes
research shows that multitasking wastes about 25% of the workday multitasking
about 25% of the workday multitasking
about 25% of the workday multitasking increases our stress levels multitasking
increases our stress levels multitasking
increases our stress levels multitasking is linked to the neurotransmitter
is linked to the neurotransmitter
is linked to the neurotransmitter dopamine and behavioral addiction and
dopamine and behavioral addiction and
dopamine and behavioral addiction and multitasking causes human error
multitasking causes human error
multitasking causes human error increased car crashes due to driver
increased car crashes due to driver
increased car crashes due to driver distraction incorrect delivery of drugs
distraction incorrect delivery of drugs
distraction incorrect delivery of drugs in the operating room pilot error due to
in the operating room pilot error due to
in the operating room pilot error due to interruptions during pre-flight check
interruptions during pre-flight check
interruptions during pre-flight check lists and so forth importantly
lists and so forth importantly
lists and so forth importantly multitasking also places heavy demands
multitasking also places heavy demands
multitasking also places heavy demands on the prefrontal cortex that’s the
on the prefrontal cortex that’s the
on the prefrontal cortex that’s the frontal portion of the brain but that
frontal portion of the brain but that
frontal portion of the brain but that part of the brain is also really
part of the brain is also really
part of the brain is also really important for critical thinking problem
important for critical thinking problem
important for critical thinking problem solving decision making strategic
solving decision making strategic
solving decision making strategic planning and impulse control like a
planning and impulse control like a
planning and impulse control like a muscle that can tire through overuse
muscle that can tire through overuse
muscle that can tire through overuse multitasking can cause a brain to become
multitasking can cause a brain to become
multitasking can cause a brain to become fatigued for the last decade my research
fatigued for the last decade my research
fatigued for the last decade my research has been focusing on trying to identify
has been focusing on trying to identify
has been focusing on trying to identify brain based measures of cognitive
brain based measures of cognitive
brain based measures of cognitive restoration and particularly nature’s
restoration and particularly nature’s
restoration and particularly nature’s ability to be a restorative tool
ability to be a restorative tool
ability to be a restorative tool we are we look at brain based measures
we are we look at brain based measures
we are we look at brain based measures of both long-term and short-term
of both long-term and short-term
of both long-term and short-term exposure to the natural world our
exposure to the natural world our
exposure to the natural world our short-term studies involved having
short-term studies involved having
short-term studies involved having people walk in an Arboretum in Salt Lake
people walk in an Arboretum in Salt Lake
people walk in an Arboretum in Salt Lake City and we recorded electrical signals
City and we recorded electrical signals
City and we recorded electrical signals from their brain EEG as they went on the
from their brain EEG as they went on the
from their brain EEG as they went on the walk both before and after the walk one
walk both before and after the walk one
walk both before and after the walk one group was asked to give us all their
group was asked to give us all their
group was asked to give us all their technology before the walk they had no
technology before the walk they had no
technology before the walk they had no phones no cameras no digital music the
phones no cameras no digital music the
phones no cameras no digital music the other group we asked them to use their
other group we asked them to use their
other group we asked them to use their cell phone to talk to a friend or a
cell phone to talk to a friend or a
cell phone to talk to a friend or a relative when they were on the walk when
relative when they were on the walk when
relative when they were on the walk when we looked at the EEG we focused on a the
we looked at the EEG we focused on a the
we looked at the EEG we focused on a the SATA frequencies in the EEG those
SATA frequencies in the EEG those
SATA frequencies in the EEG those signals are specifically linked to the
signals are specifically linked to the
signals are specifically linked to the anterior cingulate cortex and that’s a
anterior cingulate cortex and that’s a
anterior cingulate cortex and that’s a part of the brain that’s important for
part of the brain that’s important for
part of the brain that’s important for coordinating multitasking activities
coordinating multitasking activities
coordinating multitasking activities when we looked at those signals we found
when we looked at those signals we found
when we looked at those signals we found really stunning differences on the Left
really stunning differences on the Left
really stunning differences on the Left what you see on the left over here is
what you see on the left over here is
what you see on the left over here is you see the brain activity of the group
you see the brain activity of the group
you see the brain activity of the group that didn’t have any technology the
that didn’t have any technology the
that didn’t have any technology the green shows low levels of theta activity
green shows low levels of theta activity
green shows low levels of theta activity suggesting that their brains were rested
suggesting that their brains were rested
suggesting that their brains were rested from the walk on the right you see the
from the walk on the right you see the
from the walk on the right you see the brain activity of the group who was
brain activity of the group who was
brain activity of the group who was using a cellphone we see that there that
using a cellphone we see that there that
using a cellphone we see that there that red indicates their brains are still
red indicates their brains are still
red indicates their brains are still active from all that multitasking
active from all that multitasking
active from all that multitasking importantly these signals were recorded
importantly these signals were recorded
importantly these signals were recorded 20 minutes after the walk suggesting
20 minutes after the walk suggesting
20 minutes after the walk suggesting that there’s a technology hangover of
that there’s a technology hangover of
that there’s a technology hangover of sorts from all that multitasking and not
sorts from all that multitasking and not
sorts from all that multitasking and not only were there differences in brain
only were there differences in brain
only were there differences in brain activity but the people who are using
activity but the people who are using
activity but the people who are using their cell phone could only remember
their cell phone could only remember
their cell phone could only remember half of what they saw compared to the
half of what they saw compared to the
half of what they saw compared to the group who didn’t have the cellphone
group who didn’t have the cellphone
group who didn’t have the cellphone wasn’t using the technology so these
wasn’t using the technology so these
wasn’t using the technology so these multitasking was creating a form of
multitasking was creating a form of
multitasking was creating a form of inattentional blindness where people
inattentional blindness where people
inattentional blindness where people failed to notice things in plain sight
failed to notice things in plain sight
failed to notice things in plain sight now you might be wondering are these
now you might be wondering are these
now you might be wondering are these differences just due to being outdoors
differences just due to being outdoors
differences just due to being outdoors and we know this more than just exercise
and we know this more than just exercise
and we know this more than just exercise because both groups walked for the same
because both groups walked for the same
because both groups walked for the same amount of time we know that exercise is
amount of time we know that exercise is
amount of time we know that exercise is important for improving cognitive
important for improving cognitive
important for improving cognitive function in promoting neurogenesis but
function in promoting neurogenesis but
function in promoting neurogenesis but to get the full restorative benefits you
to get the full restorative benefits you
to get the full restorative benefits you need to leave the technology behind so
need to leave the technology behind so
need to leave the technology behind so that woman that I encountered in arches
that woman that I encountered in arches
that woman that I encountered in arches national park who’s trading stocks she
national park who’s trading stocks she
national park who’s trading stocks she didn’t experience the restorative
didn’t experience the restorative
didn’t experience the restorative benefits of the hike that the rest of us
benefits of the hike that the rest of us
benefits of the hike that the rest of us did that day for me one of the ways I
did that day for me one of the ways I
did that day for me one of the ways I like to unwind is rafting the rivers in
like to unwind is rafting the rivers in
like to unwind is rafting the rivers in the Colorado Plateau
the Colorado Plateau
the Colorado Plateau these multi-day expeditions allow us to
these multi-day expeditions allow us to
these multi-day expeditions allow us to unplug and connect with nature
unplug and connect with nature
unplug and connect with nature my favorite is a San Juan River in
my favorite is a San Juan River in
my favorite is a San Juan River in southern Utah the river winds through 82
southern Utah the river winds through 82
southern Utah the river winds through 82 miles of stunning Red Rock canyons and
miles of stunning Red Rock canyons and
miles of stunning Red Rock canyons and on those trips I noticed a gradual
on those trips I noticed a gradual
on those trips I noticed a gradual change in my thinking on the first day
change in my thinking on the first day
change in my thinking on the first day there’s just the adrenaline rush of the
there’s just the adrenaline rush of the
there’s just the adrenaline rush of the launch but the morning of the second day
launch but the morning of the second day
launch but the morning of the second day I start to notice things I’d overlooked
I start to notice things I’d overlooked
I start to notice things I’d overlooked the previous day sights sounds smells my
the previous day sights sounds smells my
the previous day sights sounds smells my senses start to recalibrate and wash
senses start to recalibrate and wash
senses start to recalibrate and wash away whatever veneer of civilization
away whatever veneer of civilization
away whatever veneer of civilization that I brought with me the new reality
that I brought with me the new reality
that I brought with me the new reality begins on that third day and I’m now
begins on that third day and I’m now
begins on that third day and I’m now part of the natural world rather than
part of the natural world rather than
part of the natural world rather than separate from it our longer-term studies
separate from it our longer-term studies
separate from it our longer-term studies looking at brain activity record the
looking at brain activity record the
looking at brain activity record the activity in the EEG after three days of
activity in the EEG after three days of
activity in the EEG after three days of being in nature without any technology
being in nature without any technology
being in nature without any technology compared to recordings taken before and
compared to recordings taken before and
compared to recordings taken before and after the trip we again find lower
after the trip we again find lower
after the trip we again find lower levels of theta activity suggesting that
levels of theta activity suggesting that
levels of theta activity suggesting that their brains had rested others have also
their brains had rested others have also
their brains had rested others have also written about this three-day syndrome
written about this three-day syndrome
written about this three-day syndrome and the idea that there’s benefits and
and the idea that there’s benefits and
and the idea that there’s benefits and cognitive restoration associate with
cognitive restoration associate with
cognitive restoration associate with interacting in nature the idea is that
interacting in nature the idea is that
interacting in nature the idea is that there are increasing benefits from
there are increasing benefits from
there are increasing benefits from spending more time in nature and leaving
spending more time in nature and leaving
spending more time in nature and leaving the technology behind researchers who’ve
the technology behind researchers who’ve
the technology behind researchers who’ve identified and looked at what the
identified and looked at what the
identified and looked at what the benefits are of being in nature find
benefits are of being in nature find
benefits are of being in nature find improved short-term memory
improved short-term memory
improved short-term memory enhanced working memory better
enhanced working memory better
enhanced working memory better problem-solving greater creativity lower
problem-solving greater creativity lower
problem-solving greater creativity lower levels of stress and higher feelings of
levels of stress and higher feelings of
levels of stress and higher feelings of positive well-being the research coming
positive well-being the research coming
positive well-being the research coming out of my laboratory suggests that there
out of my laboratory suggests that there
out of my laboratory suggests that there was more wisdom to Thoreau’s why I went
was more wisdom to Thoreau’s why I went
was more wisdom to Thoreau’s why I went into the woods than most of us will ever
into the woods than most of us will ever
into the woods than most of us will ever appreciate his insights into the power
appreciate his insights into the power
appreciate his insights into the power of nature stand in stark contrast to the
of nature stand in stark contrast to the
of nature stand in stark contrast to the exponential increase in screen time that
exponential increase in screen time that
exponential increase in screen time that we see in businesses at home and even
we see in businesses at home and even
we see in businesses at home and even schools the opportunity to balance all
schools the opportunity to balance all
schools the opportunity to balance all that technology with time spent in
that technology with time spent in
that technology with time spent in nature unplugged from digital devices
nature unplugged from digital devices
nature unplugged from digital devices has a potential to rest and restore our
has a potential to rest and restore our
has a potential to rest and restore our brains improve our productivity reduce
brains improve our productivity reduce
brains improve our productivity reduce our stress levels and make us feel
our stress levels and make us feel
our stress levels and make us feel better thank you
better thank you
better thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
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