Topic for May 21 (Tue)

[Kristin55]

Being in Nature Could Change Our 'Sense of Time'

The alarm on your phone wakes you up, the train leaves in an hour, the children have to be ready for school, you have a meeting before lunch, a project to finish this afternoon and before you know it, it's time for bed again.

It sometimes feels that we're on a conveyor belt speeding through weeks without enough time to do everything we need — or want — to do.

Is there a way to make everything slow down, even just a little?

Ricardo Correia, a scientist from the University of Turku in Finland, has an answer.

He believes that spending more time in nature or green spaces changes the way we think about time.

Of course, we can't actually make time move faster or slower, but in a new paper Correia argues that when we spend time in nature our "sense of time" is different.

Time is not going slower but it may feel that way, and recent studies support his idea, he says.

He looked at research that compared the way people feel about time when they're in cities and when they're in the countryside.

In one study, researchers found that if you're going for a walk in the countryside it may feel longer than a walk of the same distance in the city.

Spending time in nature may also allow us to see the big picture and give us perspective.

In other words, in the countryside we don't feel the same pressure of time and may actually be able to focus better on our long-term goals.

Spending time in green spaces has been linked to better health and perhaps it could help us to change our relationship with time too.

1. Do you ever feel like time is passing too quickly?

2. Do you find it surprising that being in nature may change our sense of time?

3. Are there any activities that you find change your sense of time?

4. How often do you get to spend time in nature or green spaces?

5. Do you prefer the fast pace of city life or the slower pace of country life?

6. Are there many green spaces in your neighborhood?

7. What are some of the most popular natural spots in your area?

8. What are your favorite ways to spend time in nature?

9. Who are the most outdoorsy people you know?

https://engoo.com/app/daily-news/article/being-in-nature-could-change-our-sense-of-time/l7NF7A0WEe-Y7xPLF5iFxA