Huberman Lab

How Nature & Other Physical Environments Impact Your Focus, Cognition & Health | Dr. Marc Berman

1533 snips
Jul 14, 2025
Dr. Marc Berman, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago, discusses the profound effects of natural environments on cognitive function and mental health. He reveals how even brief moments in nature can restore focus and reduce mental fatigue. Berman emphasizes the importance of incorporating natural elements into daily routines to combat attention depletion. He also explores the negative impact of digital distractions on cognition and provides practical strategies for enhancing productivity through nature immersion.
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Directed vs Involuntary Attention

  • Directed attention is the ability to focus deliberately, which gets depleted when used extensively.
  • Involuntary attention is captured automatically by interesting stimuli and is less tiring to the brain.
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Nature Walks Boost Working Memory

  • In a controlled study, participants' working memory improved 20% after a 50-minute walk in nature versus an urban walk.
  • The benefit was present even on cold days when participants disliked the walk, showing effects beyond just mood improvement.
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Nature's Fractal Ease of Processing

  • Nature scenes are more compressible due to repeated fractal patterns, making them easier for the brain to process.
  • Urban scenes are semantically more complex, requiring more cognitive resources to encode and recall.
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