Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg reportedly likes to hold meetings while walking, and so does Apple founder Steve Jobs scientists have shown that they were right.
Just 20 minutes of walking can prepare the brain to absorb and retain new information, neuroscience research has shown.
These positive effects can be seen in brain areas involved in making decisions, dealing with stress and planning our behavior.
Other forms of exercise also have their own brain health benefits, but this research shows that it doesn’t take much to boost your brain power – and a little bit of walking is much better than no exercise at all.
Just 20 minutes of walking can prepare the brain to absorb and retain new information, neuroscience research has shown. These positive effects can be seen in areas of the brain involved in making decisions, dealing with stress and planning our behavior
Images of what happens to the brain when you sit still for 20 minutes compared to 20 minutes of walking have resurfaced online.
X user Tim Carden posted a thread this week on the powers of walking, noting that Aristotle, Virginia Woolf and Nikola Tesla also believed in the exercise.
“Throughout history, the greatest thinkers were avid walkers,” says Carden, co-founder of Thoughtleadr.
“Tech entrepreneurs, including Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, are known to support walking meetings.
‘Walking dissolves mental blocks, stimulates divergent thinking and connects ideas.’
He noted that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, had declared that “walking is the best medicine for man.”
The exercise improves brain health, strengthens the heart, lungs and bones and promotes digestion and blood sugar control.
Carden shared brain scans taken during the meeting a 2009 study that was conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois.
Participants who walked on a treadmill for 20 minutes before taking a reading test performed significantly better than people who sat still for 20 minutes.
Measuring brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG) provided some clues as to what was happening.
These EEG measurements showed that participants’ brain activity was significantly increased after walking, and some of the biggest brain-boosting effects lasted for almost 30 minutes after they finished exercising.
Scientists have also seen the concrete, positive effects of this brain boost.
In a study According to scientists at Stanford University, volunteers performed better on a test of creative thinking when they walked instead of sitting.
The subjects were given four minutes to think of three alternative uses for a word.
Everyone tried it while sitting and while walking on a treadmill.
More than 80 percent of participants showed more creativity with their answers while walking than while sitting.
Walking can also benefit the way we interact with other people.
Whether for business or pleasure, Mark Zuckerberg’s walking habits could provide major benefits: increased gray matter volume and increased brain activity in areas related to motor control and cognition.
Carden continued the X-thread, explaining why he believes walking is superior to other exercises. He noted that it is easier on the joints, requires no gym equipment and can be done anytime, anywhere.
Research from 2023 shows that taking a brisk walk for just 11 minutes a day can reduce the risk of premature death by almost a quarter
Analysis of data from more than 30 million people found that 75 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity – such as cycling, walking or dancing – reduced the risk of premature death by 23 percent.
Specifically, it reduced the risk of developing cardiovascular disease – which can cause heart attacks and strokes – by 17 percent and cancer by 7 percent.
The
Taking a short walk after a meal may lower blood sugar levels and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, the team suggested.
It is optimal to start 60 to 90 minutes after eating because this is when blood sugar levels are typically highest and the muscles can absorb fuel from the food.
People should aim for a 15-minute walk, but even “mini walks” of two to five minutes offer some benefit, researchers add.