Walking & Anxiety
Try walking without a destination and see what it clears up for you
Source: Sarah Wilson First We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Journey Through Anxiety
The science behind why walking is so calming
The part of the brain that controls anxiety—the amygdala—is one of the oldest, most primitive parts of the brain. (It's also the part that controls decision making, so the two are intertwined. This is why making decisions when you're anxious is almost impossible, and making too many decisions can make us anxious.) This "anxious" part of our brain is simple. It's a mono-tasker that can do only one thing at a time. And walking has been shown to shut down the anxious mechanism, so while we're walking, the anxious part of our brain can shut off a bit.
How does walking help us think more clearly?
When we're walking, we're more likely to have discerning thoughts. That's why you hear about people doing walking meetings at work to help them think better.
I think the cause of a lot of the anxiety we see today is that life now goes at a pace that is not conducive to discerning thought. Our thoughts build up and up and up, and we have no time to work out how we feel. It's an information overload. Walking gets us at exactly the right pace and rhythm to think well.
Is all walking created equal?
Walking in nature amps up its benefits, according to science. The Japanese are obsessed with this, and they have popularized the idea of forest bathing. A lot of studies out of Japan have shown that trees and plants emit aerosols that can calm our minds and have a huge impact on human biology.
Another way to amp up your walk is to go to expansive places that bring on a sense of awe. Our oxytocin levels increase when we're in expansive places—ones that make us go, ‘Oh my goodness, check out that view.’
But even if you don't live near green, expansive space, I advocate for just putting on your shoes and getting out there. Because when you're anxious, the idea of having to go out and find some incredible, perfect park with the best sunset ever and beautiful trees is a bridge too far.
Keep it simple: Tie up your shoes and just walk out of the house or office for 10 minutes. Just walk.
