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That ELI5 about how teh brain copes with sensory overload in the wilderness got me thinking. We typically consider sensory overload in terms of urban environments: noise, lights, crowds.But the wilderness presents a different kind of challenge. It's not necessarily more intense in decibels or lumens, but it's constant and arguably more complex. Instead of ignoring repetitive sounds like traffic, your brain needs to differentiate between the rustle of leaves from wind and the rustle of leaves from, say, a snake.
Does the brain prioritize different senses in the wilderness compared to the city? I'd imagine sight and hearing are heightened when you're trying to navigate and avoid danger, but does that come at the expense of, such as, your sense of smell? And how much does prior experiance factor into it? Is someone who grew up in a rural environment naturally better equipped to filter wilderness stimuli than someone raised in a city? I wonder if there are specific brain regions that become more active or efficient when processing this kind of sensory input after prolonged exposure to it. Like, does a seasoned hiker's brain actually look different when exposed to a forest soundscape compared to someone who rarely ventures into the woods?