Scientists reveal how long you should walk to boost brain power

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg loves to hold meetings while walking, and so does Apple founder Steve Jobs, andscientists have shown that they were right on target.

Just 20 minutes of walking can prime the brain to take in and retain new information, neuroscience research has shown.

These positive effects can be seen in the areas of the brain involved in decision making, stress management and planning our behaviour.

Other forms of exercise also have their own benefits for brain health, but this research determined that it doesn’t take much to boost your brain power, and a little walking is much better than no exercise at all.

Images of what happens to your brain while sitting quietly for 20 minutes compared to walking for 20 minutes have resurfaced online.

User X Tim Carden posted a thread on the powers of walking this week, noting that Aristotle, Virginia Woolf and Nikola Tesla also believed in exercise.

“Throughout history, great thinkers have been avid walkers,” shared Carden, who is the co-founder of Thoughtleadr.

“Tech entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are known to support walking meetings.

“Walking dissolves mental blocks, empowers divergent thinking and connects ideas.”

He noted that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, had declared that “walking is man’s best medicine.”

Movement boosts brain health, strengthens the heart, lungs and bones, and helps with digestion and blood sugar.

Carden shared brain scans taken during a 2009 study by researchers at 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 quietly for 20 minutes.

Measuring brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG) gave some clues as to what was going on.

These EEG measurements showed that participants’ brain activity increased significantly after walking a little, and some of the biggest brain-boosting effects lasted nearly 30 minutes after they had done the exercise.

Scientists have also seen the concrete and positive effects of this brain boost.

In a study by scientists at Stanford University, volunteers performed better on a test of creative thinking if they did it while walking instead of sitting.

Subjects had four minutes to find three alternative uses for a word.

Each was tested while sitting and while walking on a treadmill.

More than 80 percent of participants showed more creativity with their responses when they were walking compared to when they were sitting.

Walking can also have benefits for how we relate to other people.

Carden continued the X thread by explaining why he believes walking is superior to other exercises, noting that it’s easier on the joints, doesn’t require gym equipment, and can be done anytime, anywhere.

Research published in 2023 found that brisk walking for just 11 minutes a day can cut your chances of dying early by almost a quarter.

The analysis of data from more than 30 million people found that 75 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, such as cycling, hiking or dancing, reduced the risk of early death by 23 percent .

Specifically, it reduced the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases that can cause heart attacks and strokes: by 17 percent and cancer by 7 percent.

User X also said that “walking after eating is a double win,” which agrees with the findings of a 2022 study conducted by researchers at the University of Limerick in Ireland.

The team suggested that taking a short walk after a meal can lower blood sugar and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

It’s optimal to get going 60 to 90 minutes after eating, as this is when blood sugar levels tend to peak and allows your muscles to absorb fuel from food.

People should aim for a 15-minute walk, but even “mini walks” of two to five minutes offer some benefit, the researchers add.