“In 2008, a group of University of Michigan researchers led by Marc G. Berman gave us insight into how our environments affect us. These researchers were testing attention restoration theory (ART), which suggests that people can focus more effectively after spending time in nature. ART is based on the idea that our attention has two systems: the involuntary system, which is activated by environmental stimuli, such as a car backfire or a sudden change in temperature, and the voluntary system (aka directed attention), which intentionally focuses on a task, such as reading a book, playing a game, or doing a math problem. According to ART, spending time in nature restores the voluntary system.”