For many hikers the environment above the tree line offers the most poignant mountain experience. This is where the feel-good factor kicks in and multiplies. Mountains are intensely symbolic in almost all world religions and play a large role in western culture, but new research is revealing why climbing one makes us feel so good.

In our modern lives, we are constantly bombarded with information and demands on our attention. Between cell phones, email, the Internet and social networking, there is hardly a moment left for self-reflection. What can we do to improve our focus and concentration abilities?