According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, 8/30/11, researchers say, “Taking in the sights and sounds of nature appears to be especially beneficial for our minds”. At the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto, researchers are studying whether interacting with nature can be therapeutic for relieving anxiety. University of Michigan research shows that performance on memory and attention tests improved by 20% after study subjects paused for a walk through an arboretum. The researchers found that cognitive performance improved after a “nature break” – and they weren’t talking about a trip to the restroom.

The research also found that for those folks not living in or near a nature-filled environment, that a quieter city street with interesting natural elements to look at, such as containers of plants and street trees, could do the trick.

Although I am no scientist – I do know that our St. Augustine golf course community is the exact kind of place that will let you unwind, relax and even boost your mental performance.

When we planned the 6,300 acres of World Golf Village, we set aside over 2,775 acres (44%) of naturally forested mixed-hardwood lowlands and uplands. These forested lands have been recorded in Conservation Easements, to be protected in their natural state, in perpetuity. (more…)