Moving is Rewarding: Why We Should Move When We Are Stressed.

The Secret Connection Between Movement and Mental Experience When we’re depressed, we walk slowly.

Exercise improves not only physical health but also mental health. Even a short bout of light exercise improves our mental well-being, and exercise doesn’t have to be gym-based exercise or sports; we don’t even need equipment. All we need is clothes and shoes.

Those who always seem happy and enjoy their daily lives know this positive effect of exercise, and we all benefit from it. Especially when we are stressed, we should exercise instead of staying at home and watching Netflix because its positive effect is immediate.

All we need to do is engage in light exercise for 12 minutes (I will explain what kind of exercise you need). Our mental experiences are closely linked to psychological states and movement, so when we move our bodies, it triggers the system in the brain that makes us experience positive feelings.

Movement and emotion

Previous studies have shown that our physical and mental states are linked, and this concept is called “an embodiment.” For example, posture and psychological state are linked. Changing our posture from rounded shoulders to standing upright with an open chest and facing forward helps us respond positively to emotional or stressful situations. Similarly, when we feel depressed, we tend to walk slowly.

Our movements are linked to both positive and negative emotions, so when we make a certain movement, our brain induces corresponding emotions.

Exercise and positive feelings

The study conducted by Iowa State University claimed that walking is a fundamental facilitator of positive emotions, and there is an intricate link between our movements and emotional experiences.

A simple 12-minute walk improves our mental well-being; in fact, it can increase positive feelings (e.g., joy and happiness) and decrease negative emotions (e.g., worry and stress). The best part is that exercise does not have to be rewarding.

An example of exercise that involves rewards is strength training, which induces muscle gain, or competitive sports, which include winning. So, walking around the neighbourhood for no reason for 12 minutes is enough to impact our mental well-being positively.

Exercise itself is the reward.

Carles Darwin (1809–1882), the English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, said,

“Almost all the pursuits of pleasure are connected with active movement.”

And modern science confirms his statements.

“Our movement is closely linked to a positive experience, and almost all movements were reward and resource-seeking behaviour.”

We move our bodies mostly to get something rather than to avoid or prevent something (of course, there are a few exceptions, such as when someone attacks us).

Even simple walking activates the reward system in the brain, which releases a hormone called “dopamine,” and we experience positive emotions.

Movement and Mental Experience

In this study, the researchers conducted three experiments. In Experience 1, a few hundred participants were divided into two groups.

Group 1: Take a boring tour to see university decorations.
Group 2: Watched a boring video showing university decorations.

Both lasted only 12 minutes, and they found that Group 1 (who took a walking tour) had a more positive experience than Group 2 (who watched a video).

Group 1 increased their positive mood and confidence level.
Group 1 increased their concentration level.

In Experiment 2, participants were divided into two groups.

Group 1 was told to anticipate an unwanted experience during and after the walk (Walking + negative experience).
Group 2 only watched a first-person video of a tour (Sitting).
Group 3 went on a campus tour without any instructions or tasks (Walking).

The difference from Experiment 1 is that the researchers combined walking with a task designed to induce a negative experience.

The results were almost identical to Experiment 1. Even in an unpleasant situation, the students who walked still felt happier than the other group. Walking seems to make potentially dull activities feel okay or even a little interesting.

In Experiment 3, the participants were divided into three groups.

Group 1 sat while watching a relaxing video.
Group 2 stood while watching a relaxing video.
Group 3 walked while watching a relaxing video.

All participants were placed in a closed room and watched the same video. The difference is whether they sat, stood, or walked while watching a video.

Experiment 3 produced the same result as Experiments 1 & 2. Walking still increased positive feelings. The results strongly support the idea that walking itself is crucial to making us feel happier. It’s remarkable how just 12 minutes of walking can improve our mental health.

The researchers said:

“Walking has more powerful and universal benefits than we might have thought. Many people underestimate the benefits of walking for mental well-being and concentration. Just getting up from a chair and walking can improve your mood.”

One study also suggests that regular walking can increase our confidence and alertness and make us more open to taking social risks. We often underestimate how a simple walk can improve our mood.

Summary:

Walking consistently makes us feel more positive, even when we don’t realize it or have to do something we don’t like afterward. Walking boosts positive feelings whether we’re fully aware of the effects, facing a potentially unpleasant task, or just taking one step at a time. This study suggests that exercise, like walking, increases positive feelings and embodies or reflects them. Therefore, when we are feeling stressed or experiencing a negative emotion, we should take a short walk to improve our mental well-being.

Source:

Miller, J. C., & Krizan, Z. (2016). Walking facilitates positive affect (even when expecting the opposite). Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 16(5), 775–785. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040270