Even Darwin said it: walking is good for you

Now I don't want to compare myself to one of the greatest geniuses ever, but I have certainly been captivated by walking for over a year. Even before I knew all the quite handy side benefits. And now it turns out that even Darwin did it, for a reason. So far probably the only similarity between Charles and me, but still a boost that there is something.

Darwin walked to think. He called this his thinking path, writes Quest. By the way, he was in good company, as even more brilliant minds took a stroll to come up with ideas. Haruki Murakami wrote his novels on it and Einstein came up with inventions during his daily round. I haven't written a novel yet and an invention is still pending, but it's nice to know that my daily walk in the woods has potential. My goal is to come out of this crisis smarter, so you could do worse with your role models.

Can this still be supported by scientific research? Of course, and with the Transient Hypofrontality Theory, which simply means that you solve problems more easily or come up with ideas faster when you shut down the intellectual part of the brain. This is exactly what a walk does for your mind. The simple movement of putting one leg in front of the other increases activity in the motor cortex and decreases it in the prefrontal cortex, creating space for creativity and innovative thinking. You are, as it were, connecting new ideas and solutions while walking, because your brain knows you are doing a simple activity that creates space in your head. I find it once again ingeniously conceived by our brain.

Small side note from Natuurmonumenten: do stay on the paths and lanes and keep your dog on a leash. It is breeding season, so such an elephant path may seem very adventurous but you disturb birds while they are hatching their young. We certainly don't want that.

That curfew can go out the door, I can't wait to go out to eat, hug friends, and travel, but let Erik Scherder with his Ommetje app and walking after this pandemic be a keeper. Just seems smart to me. And you know what else is smart? Drinking wine. 

Source: Quest