ADD/ADHD Research and the Rites of Spring (685 hits)
Category: Science & EnvironmentalRating: 1.85 on 9 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by d'ohnuts (View user info) at 2004-03-26 09:26:02 EST
This one is for all you Adderall and/or Ritalin poppers out there. You know who you are.
My profession puts me in contact, both fortunately and unfortunately, with the latest psychological and psychologically relevant research on a daily basis. I say both fortunately and unfortunately because, sometimes, I end up finding out more about human beings than I care to. Sometimes it's all just a little too much to handle.
Today, I read something that I found particularly interesting, especially in light of the fact that Spring is here (FINALLY!...damn my S.A.D.) and, at least here in D.C., the temperature is expected to climb into the 70's.
It seems some new research on ADD/ADHD was recently conducted and finalized, and the results were rather remarkable. The researchers took two groups of children, all ADD/ADHD sufferers, and set them to playing about for a certain amount of time each day, in order to investigate whether daily exercise would reduce the clinical symptoms of their disorder.
Now, that daily exercise would reduce the symptoms of ADD/ADHD seems very intuitive, and the research did indeed confirm this. Nothing too notable there.
But, here is the interesting part: One of the groups of children was assigned to playing indoors, with all of the different types of playground equipment imaginable; jungle gyms, slides, etc. The other group of children was assigned to play outdoors in a leafy green environment of grass and trees. And what the research indicated was that the outdoor group showed significantly better improvement in their clinical symptoms than the indoor group, despite the indoor group getting just as much—if not more—actual exercise. The conclusion being presently drawn from the research is that simply being outside in a "natural" environment bestows benefits that simply can't be garnered being indoors. Similar research has shown a reduction in violence in tenement complexes when trees and grassy areas are planted there.
My point in all of this? Well, as I said, Spring is here, the temperature is climbing...and, well people, try to go outside today. If you have children, take them with you or send them outside to play as well. Take a walk. Enjoy the weather. Remind yourself of what it's like to feel the sun on your face and the grass between your toes.
Spring is here, and it's good for you.
User Reviews
Submitted by whataefag (user info) at 2004-03-26 13:58:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'd do anything to get on the other side of the window in my office and just bask in the sun. Maybe I have ADD ... oh wait, that's just boredom and Springtime blues. I would plug a post that I wrote a while ago on the subject, "You Don't Have ADD--You're Dumb and Lazy," but ... well I guess I just did.
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2004-03-26 12:13:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
interesting stuff... but I'm allergic to grass and trees and pollen and dust and all kinds of other stuff too, so outside isn't a great place for me. If it is green... or even alive, there is an 85% chance that I am allergic to it. I hate my...self, I guess. oh well.
nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worms.
Submitted by itchy (user info) at 2004-03-26 10:50:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
D.C. meet up? I will be in D.C. near the end of April. Hmmm. When is this thing supposed to happen?
Submitted by dohnuts (user info) at 2004-03-26 10:33:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Your reputation precedes you, Loki (haha).
Actually, you had mentioned ADD in reviewing another of my posts, and for some reason I thought of you when I read the aforementioned research (I must be spending waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time on Ubersite).
D.C. Uber Meet-up? There is such a thing?
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2004-03-26 10:23:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I have always found this to be the case, but I thought it was just me. Plus, I sleep better at night if I spend some time outside.
what am I a poster child here?
Submitted by maiorano84 (user info) at 2004-03-26 10:11:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Huh.....
Submitted by dohnuts (user info) at 2004-03-26 09:52:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I actually thought about giving this the title "A post for Loki," but wisely (I think) decided against it. I didn't want to deal with the inevitable charges of "hit-whore", "attention-slut", etc., etc.
Submitted by smokymtcsw (user info) at 2004-03-26 09:47:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice, come to the next Uber DC meetup
Submitted by itchy (user info) at 2004-03-26 09:38:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting that you post this the same day (or shortly thereafter) that Loki (Uber ADD spokesperson) posts something called something like, "go outside."
I think I'll take that advice.