Mentally Exhausted? Time for a Field Trip!

You know the feeling.  After you’ve been concentrating on something challenging for a while, you become mentally exhausted (and grumpy, but you don’t want to talk about that, probably).

In other articles, for instance here, and here, we’ve talked about seeing aquariums, plants, nature images/videos and nature views out windows and even listening to quiet nature soundtracks as ways to get your mental spark back.  And all of those methods work—but maybe you’re up for something new, and a reason to leave the house, to boot.

Research has shown that going to a museum is a mentally restorative experience, particularly if you visit a museum that’s easy to find your way around in and you know how society expects you to behave when you’re on the premises.  So get thee to thy local or regional or national museum and take a stroll through its galleries.  You’ll feel refreshed when you leave, and be a lot better company.

It turns out that being in a spiritual space will have the same effects on what goes on in your head.  Being in a church, mosque, or temple, for instance can revitalize your brain.  Spiritual spaces also often inspire awe in us, via their size or workmanship, for example, and as this article notes, being awed is great for us—it has even been linked to acting in positive ways, for example, ones that benefit others, as well as to feeling less stressed and processing information more effectively, for example.

Also you can head out into a woodland or forest, and have a similar restorative effect. Make sure you look up, or take in a beautiful stunning view which evokes that sense of awe is also refreshing and has a similar effect on our minds.

There are lots of ways to revitalize your brain (as well as your spirit) wherever you live.  Even if you aren’t in a space packed with lovely natural spaces to explore, you can visit nearby museums and spiritual spaces to restore your mental zip and ability to mingle!