The power of nature in enhancing well-being and facilitating cognitive restoration

What’s on offer?

This interactive event will introduce the idea of the potential of nature for enhancing human functioning, facilitating conversations about the benefits of engagement with nature and natural environments. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in activities designed to identify the specific properties of natural environments that may be beneficial for cognition, mental health and well-being. The event aims to promote reflection amongst attendees so that they consider how they currently engage with natural environments and to plan how this engagement could be enhanced, and to highlight ongoing research at the University of Salford in this area

What’s it about?

Evidence suggests that being exposed to natural environments can have a beneficial effect on well-being and mental functioning. Humans have a limited mental capacity for processing certain types of thoughts—thinking—so when we have spent time concentrating on a task or solving a problem, we may experience ‘mental fatigue’. This means our ability to remember information, focus, and make accurate decisions becomes impaired, affecting how well we function in many aspects of our everyday lives. Research shows that being exposed to nature and natural environments such as green and blue spaces can help alleviate mental fatigue, ‘restoring’ our capacity to process thoughts. Therefore, engaging with nature at appropriate times, may be able to enhance our thinking and our task performance, and improve our mental health and well-being.

Who’s leading the event?

Salford Applied Cognition Research Group

Open to

Everyone

Of particular interest to

The event is open to everyone but may be of particular interest to individuals working within physical health and mental health professions as well as community organisations

Event Booking details

No booking required, just turn up on the day