Why Walking Helps You Think

For centuries, writers and thinkers have said they get their best ideas while walking. Many of them took a long walk every day. But was this just a nice habit, or does walking really help the mind? In 2014, two researchers at Stanford University decided to test it.

In one test, people had a few minutes to think of new uses for everyday objects, such as a button. Each person did the test twice: once sitting at a desk and once walking on a treadmill. While walking, they came up with many more creative ideas, about sixty percent more on average.

You might think the ideas came from the changing view of trees, streets and people. But the treadmill was indoors, and some walkers faced a blank wall. They still had more ideas than when they sat. So the effect seems to come from walking itself, not only from what you see.

Walking did not help with every kind of thinking, though. It helped most when people needed many different ideas, and much less with puzzles that have only one right answer. So the next time you are stuck and need fresh ideas, leave your desk and go for a short walk.