The surprising link between movement and creative thinking -

Problem solving, innovating, and adaptive thinking—what do they all have in common? They're the products of creativity, using our mind to find solutions to problems in a non-linear way. As our world becomes more technologically advanced, creativity becomes an even more prized asset. Numerous studies have found links between creative thinking and listening to music, being in nature, and feeling positive. But did you know that moderate movement and exercise can also have big benefits for creative brainpower?

Intrigued? Click on to learn why physical activity boosts creativity.

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Sit less, move more -

As far back as 1888, the world's thinkers were warning about the dangers of sitting. Nietzsche famously advised, "Sit as little as possible. Do not believe any idea that was not born in the open air and of free movement."

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Sit less, move more -

Thanks to many advances in research in the meantime, we're now able to pinpoint exactly why there is a link between exercise and creativity.

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Fitness -

Many times when we hear about the benefits of physical activity, it's in reference to our levels of overall fitness.

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Creativity -

When it comes to creativity though, things are much more simple. The very act of moving the body seems to enhance our creative thinking.

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Movement -

In other words, it doesn't have to be a physically challenging, high-impact workout for the exercise to ignite creativity: a simple walk, cycle, or jog can help.

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Short aerobic exercise -

One study examined the effects of climbing four flights of stairs, to see if such a moderate, short activity could produce effects.

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Short aerobic exercise -

"Even a single, brief bout of aerobic exercise can ignite creative thinking," says Chong Chen, assistant professor in the department of neuroscience at Yamaguchi University, in Japan, who authored the study.

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Divergent thinking -

Coming up with ideas by drawing associations between unrelated and diverse things is classed as divergent thinking.

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Convergent thinking -

The deliberate, controlled mental process of weighing up ideas as worth pursuing (i.e. the ideas are narrowed down) is called convergent thinking.

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Research so far -

According to the research that exists so far post-exercise, divergent thinking is reliably enhanced by physical activity.

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Creativity and work -

Even if your job isn't something that would traditionally be considered 'creative,' many of the real-world challenges we face demand creative thinking and solutions to problems.

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Creativity and work -

So while you might have come to associate creativity with artists, writers, musicians, or actors, in real life it isn't so reductive.

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Creativity in action -

Making a meal from leftovers, entertaining children, or devising a new business plan are all examples of creativity in action in practical, day-to-day life ways.

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Exercise benefits -

Both mental health and the cognitive function of the brain are significantly improved by taking part in regular exercise.

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Exercise benefits -

When exercise is frequent and consistent, it has been linked to an increase in the volume of the brain, particularly in the region called the hippocampus.

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Structural change -

The structural change to this part of the brain encourages attention control, information processing, and working memory benefits.

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Structural change -

These aspects of cognition give the brain the potential to be more creative. However, changes to the brain take time to have an effect.

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Acute exercise -

But this doesn't explain why a single exercise session (acute exercise) can also have benefits. One possibility is the improved circulation it provides, bringing fresh oxygen to the brain.

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Acute exercise -

This, in turn, also increases the number of proteins circulating in the brain that promote the growth and survival of brain cells.

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Transient hypofrontality -

Using neuroimaging (imaging that studies brain function), it has been shown that even moderate exercise can induce a state of transient hypofrontality.

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Transient hypofrontality -

In this state, activity in the prefrontal cortex is reduced. This is the part of the brain that is responsible for things like reasoning and decision-making.

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Transient hypofrontality -

When activity here is lower, it allows your thoughts to float freely. This might be why you will reach an important realization on a run or doing something where you are completely distracted from your earlier thoughts.

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Incubation -

In creativity research, this is a process known as incubation. The incubation action completely takes you away from the activity you were engaged in.

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Incubation -

The incubation action increases positive feeling—or decreases negative ones—and must be so undemanding that the mind is allowed time to wander.

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Allowing the mind to wander -

When attention is shifted from current thoughts and feelings to something unrelated, our mind draws connections between diverse topics.

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High intensity and incubation -

This might be why high-intensity exercise doesn't have the same effect. High intensity can also have a stressful effect on the body, lowering mood and cognitive ability.

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High intensity and incubation -

While high-intensity exercise might be better for entering a meditative state, moderate-to-low intensity exercise could be better at encouraging more ideas to flow.

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The definition of intensity -

What is defined as 'intense' exercise will of course differ from person to person, depending on activity levels.

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Inside or outside -

Interestingly, walking—whether it was inside or outside—raised subjects' creative output by 60% on average, when compared to sitting still.

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The unknown -

We still don't know things like how long the increased creativity effects last, or if simple, repetitive movement is more beneficial than something complex.

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Short breaks with activity -

However, what new studies do show is that short breaks with moderate activity can have a positive effect on creative thinking and problem-solving when we return to the desk, so we shouldn't be hesitant to implement them.

Sources: (The Guardian) (Frontiers) (The New York Times) (Artsy)

See also: The life-changing ways exercise alters your brain

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