Need a Creative Idea? Take a Walk, Science Says
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
aerobic
Adjective
eˈrəʊbɪk
relating to exercise done to improve heart and lung function
Rowing is an excellent aerobic exercise that also strengthens the upper body.
intensity
Noun
ɪnˈtɛnsɪtiː
the quality of being very strong or forceful; the amount of power, energy, etc. that something has or requires
He sang with intensity and passion.
moderate
Adjective
ˈmɑːdɛrət
average in size, quality, degree, etc.
Health experts say that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week.
vigorous
Adjective
ˈvɪgərəs
active and full of energy; involving strength or effort
My father always led a vigorous lifestyle, even as he got older.
maximal
Adjective
ˈmæk.sə.məl
of or relating to the largest amount or value possible
The study aimed to find the best conditions for maximal growth of the plants.
worthwhile
Adjective
ˌwɜːrθˈwaɪl
worth the time, effort, or money spent on it
The hike was extremely tiring, but the magnificent view made it worthwhile.
Article
Need a Creative Idea? Take a Walk, Science Says
A problem has been bugging you for days — you just can't solve it, and it's driving you crazy. But then you go for a walk and suddenly the answer pops right into your head!
It's a great feeling — and this link between exercise and creativity has been studied by scientists around the world.
Dr. Chong Chen and his team from Japan's Yamaguchi University wanted to find out how different types of physical activity can help us solve problems and think creatively.
They looked at 21 past studies from places including the US, the UK, Spain, Sweden, China, India and Japan. The studied exercises included walking, running, cycling, dance and yoga.
And the hardest exercise actually didn't give the best results.
In fact, Chen and his team found that it was natural walking that almost always had a positive effect on people's creativity — even if it was just walking inside a room or going up and down some stairs, for as little as three to four minutes.
Dance is also good. Most of the studies Chen's team looked at found that dance helps significantly with creativity — particularly among adults.
However, the results for yoga were unclear. And low-intensity aerobic exercise like cycling was not found to have an effect.
There were some benefits from moderate and vigorous aerobic exercise, however, but "maximal effort" exercise seemed to have a mostly negative effect.
So completely exhausting yourself probably won't help your creativity!
Chen wrote that his team's findings could be used in schools and businesses by including short sessions of physical activity during the day to encourage creative thinking.
It's not even about keeping fit, Chen says — you just have to move!
As he told The Guardian: "Knowing that just a few minutes of walking, or other low-intensity physical activity, can enhance creative thinking should make getting up to move seem more worthwhile."
Discussion
1.
Do you find it surprising that walking can improve creativity?
2.
Why do you think "maximal effort" exercise had a negative effect on creativity?
3.
Could you imagine your school or workplace introducing short sessions of physical activity during the day to encourage creative thinking?
4.
Have you ever had a job that was very physically demanding?
5.
What's the most difficult form of exercise you've ever tried?
