Introduction to Dear Blocko
Hey there! Welcome to another episode of Dear Blocko. This is the show where I answer your questions about your world and my world. Let’s get started!
Why Do People Say “Touch Grass”?
Nando asks, “Dear Blocko, why do people keep telling me to touch grass?” Well, “touch grass” is a saying that means to go outside and enjoy nature. You may be hearing it from friends or even enemies who think you could benefit from taking a break from technology and the online world by getting some fresh air. Basically, stop what you’re doing and go outside, please. And they’re not wrong! Researchers found that spending time in nature can improve your mental and physical health by reducing stress and anxiety. In Japan, this practice is known as forest bathing. Some people even take their nature walks a step further by going barefoot, a practice called grounding or earthing. Advocates say that being in direct contact with the Earth allows its electrical charges to have a positive effect on your body. While there’s been little research to measure its effects, small, mostly subjective studies claim it can improve inflammation, pain, and mood. But whether or not you literally touch grass, spending time in nature can be really good for you.
Why Do People Like Physical Touch?
The next question about your world is from Skip Wreck, who asks, “Dear Blocko, why do people like touching each other?” Oh boy, okay! I’ll try to answer this without getting demonetized or receiving several angry letters from parents. Physical touch by someone you care about does a lot more to your body than just invoke a warm, fuzzy feeling. No, get your minds out of the gutter, people. I’m talking about innocent touches, like hugging or holding hands. Researchers have found that these types of touches increase your production of oxytocin, often called the “love hormone” for promoting positive feelings and reducing stress. Yes, Triangle Bob, I do know about the Billie Eilish song, but touching can be innocent as well. One study found that holding hands and hugging your partner before a stressful situation can reduce your heart rate and blood pressure by half, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health. Other studies have found that more hugs can lead to a greater resistance to respiratory infections, and holding hands during a scary or painful experience can make you feel calmer and even lessen your pain.
A Peek into Blocko’s World: How Does Blocko Spend His Weekends?
And now it’s time for a question about my world. Bordella asks, “Dear Blocko, how do you spend your weekends when you’re not making videos?” Well, thank you for asking about my weekend! I wake up and scrub my face of unwanted data—got to keep up this pristine appearance. I’ll head to the Blocktropolis farmers market with Circlia to buy fruits, vegetables, and enough sourdough bread to fill a football stadium. I’ve also been getting really into restoring broken electronics, but Q-Bot keeps falling in love with them, and then they disappear. I’m not asking questions on that one. This piece appeared in my backyard recently, though; it looks like something from your world, so anyone know what this does? Anyway, at night, I’ll visit my favorite restaurant, Binary Bytes, and enjoy a delectable digital doughnut for dessert, and then I’ll spend the rest of the evening reading with Circlia. It’s so relaxing, although I’m just realizing she’s read a lot of true crime books.
Ask Blocko Your Questions!
Do you have any questions about me or my world? Let me know in the comments and use the #dearblocko so I can find it. Want to watch even more Dear Blocko? Visit the Life Noggin Youtube Channel. As always, my name is Blocko, this has been Life Noggin. Don’t forget to keep on thinking.
Sources for this video:
https://later.com/social-media-glossa…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti…
https://www.nature.com/articles/s4159…
https://www.besjournal.com/fileSWYXYH…
https://www.healthline.com/health/gro…
https://bcmj.org/blog/science-holding…
https://www.healthline.com/health/hug…
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/1…
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