What happened to people who took a walk every day? There are so many benefits!

There is a kind of exercise that can strengthen the body, improve cognition and relieve stress without sweating profusely or panting. The key is that it does not hurt the knees or the body, and it is not specific about time or place. Men, women, young and old can do it, and it can be done fast or slow. This exercise is - walking.

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Can relieve back pain and maintain brain health

It is an indisputable consensus that exercise is good for the body and mind. However, for workers who work at their desks every day and whose maximum activity is to look down and raise their heads, the need for exercise is urgent but difficult to achieve. Moreover, although the benefits of exercise are obvious, there are also risks. Running may cause knee injuries, and yoga may seem soothing, but if the movements are not done properly, it may also cause damage to the waist and back; as for strenuous sports such as playing ball, it is even more likely to cause physical injuries due to collisions.

What is safer, easier, and more suitable exercise for "crispy" workers than walking? Walking can stretch and relax muscles, increase muscle flexibility, and reduce pain caused by muscle stiffness and tension caused by sitting for a long time. At the same time, walking helps improve posture and put all parts of the body in a more natural and relaxed state.

A study published in The Lancet by a research team from Macquarie University in Australia showed that for patients with recurrent low back pain, regular walking for more than 30 minutes can effectively reduce the risk of recurrence of low back pain, and the average time required for low back pain to recur is longer, significantly prolonging the pain-free period.

Screenshot of the paper

Research by Sophie Carter, a researcher at Liverpool John Moores University, found that standing up and walking for two minutes every 30 minutes significantly boosted blood flow to the brain , highlighting the importance of short but regular walking breaks to maintain brain health.

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Can cure unhappiness

Everyone has a unique movement pattern when walking, called gait . Gait is a kind of body language . Whether we walk fast or slow, hurried or leisurely, it reflects our emotional state at all times. When we are confident, we hold our heads high and stride forward; when we are happy, we jump and sway from side to side; when we are sad, our steps are heavy and slow; when we are depressed, we bow our heads and slouch and walk unsteadily.

Emotions affect gait, and conversely, gait can also affect emotions. The theory of embodied cognition believes that the human brain and body are not two systems, but a closely connected and mutually influential whole. We understand and experience emotions through body movements and feelings, and walking, as a form of physical movement, can naturally also provide feedback and influence on our emotional state.

Studies have found that differences in walking styles can change what people pay attention to and think about : when we walk in a "happy" style with energy and a cheerful pace, we can remember more positive and happy words; when we walk in a "depressed" style with a slow pace and no cheerfulness, we will remember more negative and sad words.

British writer Jeff Nicholson wrote in The Lost Art of Walking: "I once told myself that I didn't walk because I was depressed and powerless. But then I had another idea. Maybe I felt depressed and powerless because I didn't walk." Walking requires a leisurely pace, no arrogance or impatience, and a leisurely and free-spirited attitude. When we stroll leisurely, our steps will naturally become light and rhythmic. We are neither in a hurry to reach our destination nor nostalgic for the past scenery. Our mood becomes calm and unhurried, and each step follows its own rules, curing all unhappiness. Walking is a quiet practice.

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Can enhance creativity

As an important part of the brain, the prefrontal lobe is a complex and large structure that plays a key role in receiving and integrating information input from multiple other areas of the brain. It not only helps us regulate our feelings and behaviors, but also participates in decision-making, impulse control, and learning and memory processes. It is an important cornerstone of conscious rational thinking.

Compared with adults, children's frontal lobes are not fully developed. This feature makes it more difficult for children to suppress their impulses when faced with temptations, challenges and pressures, and it is difficult for them to stick to long-term goals and plans. However, this incomplete development of the frontal lobe is not entirely disadvantageous. In fact, it gives children a more flexible and open way of thinking. This explains why children are often able to show unrestrained creativity and come up with amazing new ideas.

As the prefrontal lobe matures, we become more rational and self-controlled, and can deal with various challenges and pressures more effectively, but we may also fall into the "black box" of thinking: the mature prefrontal lobe makes us more inclined to follow established rules and logic, greatly reducing the flexibility and innovation of thinking. We may become too cautious and conservative, lacking the spirit of adventure and the desire to explore.

Research has found that regular walking can strengthen the connections within and between brain networks, including the functional connections between multiple neural networks including the default mode network, increase the synchronization and flexibility of brain networks, and help the brain process information in a more flexible way, thereby breaking the rigid way of thinking and making it easier for individuals to establish mental connections between different concepts. This enhanced flexibility is especially important for divergent thinking.

At the same time, walking may reduce the overactivity of the executive control network (ECN), a brain mechanism that is highly focused on task completion and goal-oriented behavior. The aimless and free-spirited state of walking can temporarily reduce the influence of the executive control network and put the brain into a more relaxed state. When the brain is freed from the strict and highly focused task requirements, it can generate new ideas and associations more casually. It has also been proven that walking can increase creative output by about 60%.

Therefore, walking is a favorite activity of philosophers, musicians, chemists, and physicists. It is a great time to think and there are always many "aha" moments of enlightenment. So, when walking, try not to wear headphones and remember to turn off the silent mode of your mobile phone. However, don't forget to bring a notebook and a pen with you , because the inspiration you record while walking may make you the next Tchaikovsky.

Some people say that walking is "the highest level of romance in the world", while others say that walking is "mental ibuprofen" that can relieve one's negative emotions, especially now that autumn is the most beautiful season of the year. There is neither the scorching heat of summer nor the severe cold of winter. It is the best time for walking. Walking on the path covered with fallen leaves, every step is a moving picture.

After reading this article, start taking a walk immediately after dinner today~

References

[1] Jonathan Hoban. (2021). Walking therapy: Release pain through walking and regain confidence, courage and strength. Guangxi Science and Technology Press. ISBN: 9787555116554.

[2] Lee Scott, Michelle Stanton. (2020). The Science of Walking: A Systematic Solution to Improve Walking Fitness. Posts and Telecommunications Press. ISBN: 9787115548412.

[3] Caroline Williams. (2022). Exercise changes the brain. Mechanical Industry Press. ISBN: 9787111697275.

[4] Jeremy De Silva. (2022). Mankind’s First Steps. CITIC Publishing Group. ISBN: 9787521748093.

[5] Pocovi NC, Lin CC, French SD, Graham PL, van Dongen JM, Latimer J, Merom D, Tiedemann A, Maher CG, Clavisi O, Tong SYK, Hancock MJ. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an individualized, progressive walking and education intervention for the prevention of low back pain recurrence in Australia (WalkBack): a randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 2024 Jun 19:S0140-6736(24)00755-4.

[6]https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/articles/200911/mind-your-body-walk-way

Planning and production

Author: Su Jing, National Level 2 Psychological Counselor

Reviewer: Fan Chunlei, Associate Researcher, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Planning丨Ding Zong

Editor: Zhong Yanping

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin