Walk for Brain Power

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Lolita Carrico

As a fan of high intensity work outs, I’m not really one to take a walk for exercise, but living in NYC forces me to walk almost everywhere.  While I try to count these steps as an added bonus to my daily fitness routine, I realized they’re actually doing a lot more for me than I thought — empowering my brain.

A recent study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience claimed that walking three times a week without even sweating can enhance brain function.  The research showed that even people who never exercise who walked for 40 minutes three times per week at a leisurely pace experienced increased brain activity and performed better on cognitive tests.

How you ask?  Prior research shows that people who are fit or move have better connectivity in their brain than those who are couch potatoes.  The closer knit the cells are, the easier it is for the brain to function, especially in the ares of planning, strategizing and multi-tasking.

Scratch those crossword puzzles and brain empowering board games and go take a walk!