why walking is the most underrated exercise for mind and body
“The moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.” — Thoreau
Audrey Hepburn walking down the Spanish Steps, Rome.
There’s nothing revolutionary about walking — and yet it’s quietly miraculous. It connects the primal and the poetic; the mechanical act of movement with the invisible processes that govern creativity, mood, and orientation. From the passeggiata in Italian towns to the philosopher’s daily stroll, walking is where body, beauty, and soul align.
How the Brain Finds Its Way
When we walk, the brain doesn’t just move the body — it maps the world. Neuroscientist John O’Keefe discovered place cells in the hippocampus that activate when we reach familiar locations; later, researchers found head-direction and boundary cells — our internal compass and perimeter sensors. Together they form a living GPS, constantly recalibrating as we move.
““Our sense of direction doesn’t depend on sight — it’s woven into our nervous system.””
Even without visual cues, our brains can navigate using what scientists call path integration — the innate ability to calculate where we are based on distance and direction. It’s the same system that lets pigeons find home and lets us cross a city we don’t know, guided by an ancient inner map.
The Creative Walk
From William Rowan Hamilton’s mathematical breakthrough carved into a Dublin bridge to Wordsworth’s poetry and Nietzsche’s aphorisms, the world’s thinkers have long known that walking unlocks the mind.
Neuroscience now explains why: walking toggles the brain between two modes — focused attention and free association — creating what some call active idleness. This dual rhythm fosters insight, originality, and emotional processing.
“Walk on it — not just sleep on it.”
Research from Stanford University shows that creative output can rise by up to 60 per cent after a walk, compared to sitting still.¹ When the body moves, the brain’s default-mode network awakens, weaving memories, ideas, and imagination into coherence.
The Medicine of Motion
Walking is one of the most powerful tools for mental and physical restoration. Regular movement improves cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, stimulates new brain-cell growth, and lifts mood.² Inactivity, on the other hand, dulls personality traits like openness and agreeableness — the self literally stiffens when the body does.
A single hour of walking a week could lower future cases of depression by 12 per cent.³ Outdoor walks amplify these benefits: a Canadian study found that those who walked by water reported higher happiness than those who walked through tunnels. The greener the route, the greater the calm.
“Use it — or lose it. The body keeps what the spirit moves.”The Social Rhythm
Walking is also deeply social. Studies show that older adults who walk more are also more socially active and experience greater well-being. The simple act of walking together — our steps synchronising — creates subtle empathy and connection. Whether it’s a stroll with a friend or a shared pilgrimage, walking reminds us that we are not designed for isolation but for movement in company.Cities Made for Walking
“A walkable city is a livable city.”
More than half of humanity now lives in urban areas, yet many cities are designed for cars, not people. Neuroscientists argue that city planning should be informed by psychology, not just architecture. Walkable environments — Easy, Accessible, Safe, Enjoyable (EASE) — foster community, economic activity, and well-being. Green streets, slower crossings, and nearby amenities create not only healthier citizens but also more beautiful lives.
Try This Today
Walk on purpose. Use walking to solve a problem — it engages both logic and imagination.
Go green. Trees, water, or open sky calm the brain’s stress circuits.
Leave devices behind. Let your attention wander naturally.
Pair it with ritual. After meals, between tasks, at sunset — consistency builds rhythm.
Walk with others. Conversation flows better side-by-side than face-to-face.
Rethink your commute. Step off one stop early; take meetings on foot.
“Balance lives not in stillness, but in motion that feels true.”
Show Up First
Step outside. Breathe. Let your senses open.
Each step nourishes the body, clears the mind, and revives the soul.
Walk not to get somewhere, but to return to yourself.
References
Oppezzo & Schwartz. Give Your Ideas Some Legs: The Positive Effect of Walking on Creative Thinking, Journal of Experimental Psychology (2014).
Hamer M & Chida Y. Walking and primary prevention: meta-analysis of cohort studies, BJSM (2008).
Pearce M et al. Physical activity and depression prevention, JAMA Psychiatry (2022).
Bratman GN et al. Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation, PNAS (2015).
O’Keefe J & Dostrovsky J. The hippocampus as a spatial map, Brain Research (1971).