If you’ve ever gone for a walk to cope with feelings of anxiety, depression, stress, or fatigue, you’re in good company. According to a survey by United Kingdom based mental healthcare provider, Priory Group, 65% of respondents identified walking as their preferred method of boosting their emotional health.
And it makes sense. Modern science has highlighted many mental benefits of walking, as well as positive impacts on the physical, functioning brain. Let’s explore how this simple, accessible exercise can support both your cognitive abilities and help you feel more emotionally stable.
Cognitive benefits of walking
Walking and brain function go hand in hand. Here’s how this exercise can benefit your cognitive health.
Increased blood flow to the brain
When you walk, the impact of your feet hitting the ground produces pressure waves through your arteries. These waves significantly amp up blood flow to the brain, supporting better cognitive function and overall wellness.
Historically, experts believed that cerebral blood flow (CBF) was mostly involuntary and minimally affected by exercise. But recent studies from New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) show the gentle impact of walking creates backward-flowing pressure waves that rhythmically sync with your heart and stride rates. This synchronization helps regulate and improve CBF.
By walking regularly, you can help your body maintain a steady and dynamic flow of blood to your brain. This is crucial for getting oxygen and nutrients to your brain while removing waste products, both of which are essential for optimal cognitive health.
Sharper memory and focus
Walking also triggers the brain to release a number of neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine. While typically associated with mood and relaxation, these chemicals also play critical roles in memory retention and concentration.
For instance, some studies show that, aside from being a “feel-good chemical,” serotonin regulates spatial working memory. If your levels are low, you might notice significant difficulty in tasks like remembering where you put your car keys several minutes or hours after setting them down.
Dopamine is also essential for memory–especially in the process of encoding and consolidating memories through interactions among the hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex.
Regular walkers often experience increased focus, as well, due to elevated neurotransmitter activity and enhanced blood flow to the brain.
Enhanced creativity
Walking can also boost your creativity. Many people report a surge of creative ideas both during and after their walks. This inspiration is likely related to the increased supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain, which enhances cognitive functions.
One study showed that even walking on a treadmill indoors can increase creative output by as much as 60%. However, nature itself can act as a catalyst for creative thinking. So if you have the option to walk outside, you might notice even more interesting, out-of-the box ideas.
Long-term cognitive health
Walking regularly can also help ward off cognitive decline. In addition to providing much-needed oxygen to the brain, it supports blood vessel health and stimulates the release of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is essential both for the survival of existing neurons and the creation of new ones.
This means walking not only helps protect learning functions and memory, but contributes to neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt and change), which is key as we age.
Research also suggests walking can actually enhance the size of your brain. Study participants who walked regularly experienced an increase in white matter volume, as well as significant growth in the prefrontal cortex, which is critical for:
- Judgment
- Reasoning
- Planning
- Managing temperament
This is important because the prefrontal cortex is one of the areas most susceptible to early decline related to various forms of dementia.
Another study that followed participants for 10 years linked an increase in the time spent walking with increased hippocampal volume. This is also key, since smaller hippocampal structure can be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease.
According to other studies, older adults who walk more than 2 miles per day may have a 50% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, compared to those who walk less than 0.25 miles per day.
So, regular walking is a simple yet powerful way to protect brain health well into your golden years.
Emotional and mental health benefits of walking
As many already know, walking can be transformative for your mental well-being. It does this in two impactful ways.
Stress reduction
Walking releases endorphins, the body’s natural mood elevators and painkillers. This is one way this exercise can significantly reduce stress levels, while also alleviating body aches.
Furthermore, the repetitive, rhythmic movement of walking involves bilateral stimulation. This engagement of both hemispheres of the brain helps with processing emotional distress, according to a number of studies.
Walking can also act as a form of mindfulness, helping you disconnect from daily stressors and focus on the present moment. Research shows this type of “mental redirection” activates brain pathways that support:
- Positive structural and functional changes in the brain
- Focus
- Emotional regulation
Walking in nature can be a particularly grounding experience, as green spaces offer calming sights and smells, promoting a sense of peace.
Better mood and emotional well-being
Walking can have a dramatically positive impact on your nervous system, combating feelings of:
- Anger
- Hostility
- Anxiety
- Depression
And exercising with others greatly amplifies these benefits. Studies indicate that group walking is a particularly powerful way to:
- Relieve stress
- Deepen connections with your peers
- More freely express and process thoughts and feelings
- Get emotional support
- Experience overall well-being and resilience
And the effects can be enduring. A consistent walking routine can lead to long-term reductions in anxiety and depression. Sunlight and nature exposure provide additional mood elevation.
As you can see, walking is a powerful way to boost both cognitive and mental health. To truly capitalize on its benefits, consider joining a walking group or starting your own with friends or family. Not only will this combat cognitive decline and emotional distress, but it’ll help keep you motivated while adding the element of social interaction.
Whether your main concern is improving your mood, fighting stress, or protecting your brain function, walking can be a cornerstone of a healthier, more vibrant life.
References:
How walking benefits the brain | ScienceDaily.
Role of serotonin in memory impairment
Selective amnesic effects of oxytocin on human memory
Give Your Ideas Some Legs: The Positive Effect of Walking on Creative Thinking
The impact of nature on creativity – A study among Danish creative professionals – ScienceDirect.
Cognitive Health and Older Adults | National Institute on Aging
Exercise, cognitive function, and aging – PMC
Differential Relationships Between Brain Structure and Dual Task Walking in Young and Older Adults
The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed – PMC
A FLASH OF HOPE: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy – PMC
Psychological Benefits of Walking through Forest Areas – PMC
The great outdoors: how a green exercise environment can benefit all – PMC
Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review – PMC
Effects of Mindfulness on Psychological Health: A Review of Empirical Studies – PMC
Mindfulness Training and Physical Health: Mechanisms and Outcomes
The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation | Nature Reviews Neuroscience
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