Holly Joy McCabe
The Science Behind Why Walking Makes You Smarter
22 May 2025
In our fast-paced world, we often overlook one of the simplest, most accessible, and powerful tools for boosting brain health: walking.
Yes—just putting one foot in front of the other can literally make you smarter. It may sound too good to be true, but science backs it up, and at Brain Body Speak, we love merging ancient wisdom with modern research. Here’s why walking isn’t just good for your body—it’s a brain-boosting superpower too.
Walking Increases Brain-Derived Neurotophic Factor (BDNF)
BDNF is like Miracle-Gro for your brain. This crucial protein supports the growth, survival, and plasticity of neurons. Low levels of BDNF are linked to depression, cognitive decline, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Studies show that aerobic exercises like walking significantly increase BDNF levels, helping to:
- Improve memory and learning
- Support emotional regulation
- Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia
It Enhances Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. It’s how we heal from trauma, rewire limiting beliefs, and develop new habits.
Walking, especially in natural environments, increases the brain's adaptability by:
- Stimulating both hemispheres of the brain
- Enhancing creative thinking and problem-solving
- Promoting new ideas and insights (ever wonder why great ideas come during walks?)
It Improves Blood Flow and Oxygen to the Brain
When you walk, your heart rate increases, sending more blood and oxygen to your brain. This improves:
Focus and Clarity
Energy Levels
Processing Speed
It’s like giving your brain a refreshing, nourishing breath of fresh air.
It Regulates the Nervous System
At Brain Body Speak, we talk a lot about nervous system regulation—because without it, healing is nearly impossible.
Walking helps downregulate the sympathetic “fight or flight” response and activate the parasympathetic “rest and digest” system. This leads to:
Reduced anxiety and overwhelm
Better mood and emotional balance
Increased resilience to stress
In fact, rhythmic movement like walking mimics bilateral stimulation, similar to what’s used in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy to heal trauma.
It Sparks Creativity and Emotional Healing
A Stanford study found that walking boosts creative output by up to 60%. This makes sense—movement frees energy stuck in the body, allowing your thoughts and feelings to flow more easily.
Walking helps you:
Gain perspective
Calm internal chaos
Access intuitive insights
This is especially powerful when you walk mindfully, staying present with your body and surroundings.
How to Walk Smarter (and Heal While You’re At It)
Here’s how to make your walks more powerful for your brain and nervous system:
-
Walk outside in nature – Green spaces reduce cortisol and improve cognitive function.
-
Let your mind wander – Creative ideas love open space.
-
Leave the distractions behind – Try walking without music or podcasts sometimes. Just be present.
-
Use it as somatic practice – Breathe deeply, feel your feet on the ground, observe your senses.
-
Do a “Satori Walk” – As we teach in our Satori Method, walk while focusing on releasing emotions or visualizing healing. Walking becomes a sacred ritual of transformation.
Final Thoughts
Walking isn’t just movement—it’s medicine.
It calms your body, regulates your nervous system, sparks creativity, and literally helps your brain rewire itself for greater intelligence, resilience, and joy.
So next time you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or uninspired—take a walk.
Your brain (and body) will thank you.
Ready to start walking your way to regulation?
Join the Mindful Miles Challenge today and experience the healing power of movement, one step at a time.
Your Next Step: Let’s Stay Connected
If you're ready to take this journey with real support, here’s how you can start today:
This is your invitation to break free from the cycles of stress, trauma, and overwhelm—and step into true, lasting transformation.
Let
Let's Rise Together.
LOVE & ZEN,
References
Cotman, C. W., & Berchtold, N. C. (2002). Exercise: a behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity. Trends in Neurosciences, 25(6), 295–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-2236(02)02143-4
Erickson, K. I., et al. (2011). Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(7), 3017–3022. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1015950108
Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(4), 1142–1152. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036577
Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. (Book)
Berman, M. G., et al. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x
Bratman, G. N., et al. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567–8572. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112
van Praag, H., Kempermann, G., & Gage, F. H. (1999). Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus. Nature Neuroscience, 2(3), 266–270. https://doi.org/10.1038/6368
Röcke, C., Li, S. C., & Smith, J. (2009). Intraindividual variability in positive and negative affect over 45 days: Do older adults fluctuate less than young adults? Psychology and Aging, 24(4), 863–878. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016276
Ready to Heal? Here are ways to get support.
What You'll Get From This Podcast
-
Self-awareness that actually leads to transformation
-
Mind-body strategies for resilience, success, and ease
-
How subconscious patterns influence everything from health to business
-
Actionable insights for leadership, relationships, and peak performance
-
Inspiring real stories, real change, and real results.
GET YOUR FREE EBOOK NOW!
BE IN THE KNOW:
SIGN UP FOR FREE EBOOK
FREE EBOOK! Find Your Zen: 10 Proven Ways to Manage Stress and Overwhelm for Today’s Modern Woman
Ready to Feel &
Function Your Best?
If you’ve been feeling stressed, stuck, or out of balance, it’s time for a reset. True transformation doesn’t happen by pushing harder—it happens when you give your mind and body the right tools to shift out of survival mode and into a state of ease, clarity, and strength.
That’s why I created this FREE PDF: Tools for Transformation—a powerful guide to help you start feeling better right now with simple, science-backed techniques.
© Copyrights by Brain Body Speak. All Rights Reserved.