Adding strong evidence in support of 'walkable' neighborhoods, a large national study found that the built environment can indeed increase how much people walk. The study showed a strong connection between place and activity by studying about 11,000 twins, which helps control for family influences and genetic factors. The researchers found that each 1% increase in an area's 'walkability' resulted in 0.42% increase in neighborhood walking. When scaled up, that means a 55% increase in the walkability of the surrounding neighborhood would result in about 23% more walking -- or about 19 minutes a week for every resident living in that area. In terms of public health, that can add up to a big difference for the highly sedentary U.S. populace.
Read more …More dense, populated neighborhoods inspire people to walk more
It has been known for nearly 20 years that slow, synchronous electrical waves in the brain during deep sleep support the formation of memories. Why that is was previously unknown. Now, a team of researchers posits an explanation. According to the study, the slow waves make the neocortex, the location of long-term memory, especially receptive to information. The findings could help to optimize the treatment approaches that are intended to support memory formation from outside.
Read more …Why deep sleep is helpful for memory