Recent research on the brain indicates that ADHD individuals need more "green time" to activate their creative brains
Children and adults who struggle with symptoms of ADHD often have difficulty with everyday tasks at home, school, and/or work that require concentration for extended periods of time. Research suggests that even a brief period (20-25 min) spent outside can boost concentration skills (Taylor & Kuo, 2011). In fact, there is even a theory about how nature can improve symptoms of ADHD called the Attention Restoration Theory (ART). The idea of this theory is that the area of the brain (the prefrontal cortex) that is implicated in problems related to ADHD becomes strained from overuse of technology and multitasking but can be restored or replenished when we engage in natural green environments (Atchley, Strayer & Atchley, 2012). Daily outdoor activities can activate the “default mode” of the brain which is involved in restful introspection and efficient processing of tasks requiring the frontal lobe. So, what does all this research mean? ADHD functioning problems are related to different wiring and processing in the frontal region of our brains. Getting outside restores the breakdown of this area of the brain and thus improves attention/concentration. In addition, research indicates that ALL individuals may benefit from spending time outside but particularly those who have symptoms of ADHD.
Research has also indicated that many individuals with ADHD may be more creative when developing new ideas and products (White, 2018). Participants in a study at the University of Michigan who had ADHD were better at developing new designs and problem-solving because they did not adhere to examples and previous knowledge. Their minds were constantly moving from idea to new idea and thus were able to effectively develop more creative options when compared to non-ADHD participants. Essentially, the ‘wiring’ in the ADHD brain does not get stuck on one idea and is able to quickly identify other creative options.
In another research study at the University of Utah, researcher Strayer (2018) examined the effect of nature on creative problem-solving skills. They found that participants who spent several consecutive days in a natural environment improved their creative problem-solving performance by 50%! Many research studies are continually confirming that green time improves cognitive functioning (e.g., walking in a park or any green space for a minimum of 20 minutes is enough to increase cognitive functioning).
The implications of these studies are significant for individuals with ADHD. Individuals with ADHD may be better at creative problem-solving. Spending more green time restores areas of the brain associated with ADHD problems and significantly improves cognitive functioning, especially tasks requiring creative problem-solving. Examine the amount of time you or your child are spending in front of computers, phones, and tablets and determine if you can commit to spending more time outdoors in an effort to improve cognitive functioning and activate creativity in the ADHD brain.