5 Amazing Things Hiking Does To Your Brain

2. Unplugging increases creativity

Image Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/329255422740594769/
Image Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/329255422740594769/

After a long hike away from phones and other devices, you will notice that you are much more creative and imaginative. In fact, subjects who went on a 4-day hike scored 50% higher in the RAT or Remote Associates Test than others. This test measures creative potential in people. A 50% increase is a great jump in performance by most research standards. Problem-solving skills such as these are thought to originate in the same area of the brain that we also use for selective attention and threat detection. Constant stimulation from our screens and devices actually overwhelm our creativity, which can be triggered by nature.