Introduction
In his book "In Praise of Walking," Shane O'Mara takes us on a fascinating journey exploring the often-overlooked yet fundamental human ability: walking. As a species, we are defined by our unique way of moving on two legs, but in our modern world, we seem to be walking less and less. O'Mara argues that this trend is a grave mistake, with significant negative impacts on both our physical and mental well-being.
This book delves into the science behind walking, its evolutionary importance, and its numerous benefits for our bodies and minds. O'Mara presents compelling evidence and insights that will make you reconsider the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.
The Complexity of Walking
The Sea Squirt's Lesson
O'Mara begins by drawing an intriguing parallel between humans and an unlikely creature: the sea squirt. In its early stages, the sea squirt swims around in search of food, equipped with an eye, a brain, and a spinal cord. However, once it finds a rock to attach itself to, it never moves again and proceeds to consume its own brain, eye, and spinal cord.
This peculiar example serves to illustrate a crucial point: movement requires brain power. The sea squirt's fate suggests that if we don't move, we might as well eat our brains – quite literally.
The Evolutionary Journey of Walking
Surprisingly, the genes related to movement are shared across a wide range of species. Recent studies comparing the genes of little skates (a type of fish) and mice revealed many similarities in genes determining spinal cord structure, limb placement, and associated muscles and nerves. This research indicates that the genetic foundations for walking developed long ago, even before life emerged from the oceans.
The Uniqueness of Human Walking
While we share many movement-related genes with other species, human walking is unique. Unlike our closest relatives, the apes, who typically use all four limbs, humans have evolved to walk upright on two legs. This bipedal locomotion offers several advantages:
- Greater efficiency in covering distances
- Ability to carry items while walking (children, weapons, food)
However, mastering this skill is no easy feat. Toddlers learning to walk take an average of 2,368 steps and experience 17 falls per hour. Even advanced robotics has yet to fully replicate human-style walking.
The Brain's Role in Walking
Our brain plays a crucial role in the complex task of walking. It excels at maintaining balance through a process called inertial guidance, continuously calculating and recalibrating our position. The brain strives to keep the line from the corner of our eye to the ear canal parallel with the ground.
While the brain handles many aspects of walking, the spinal cord is responsible for central pattern generators that control rhythmic patterns essential for walking, breathing, and heartbeat.
The Mystery of Direction
Dead Reckoning and Path Integration
O'Mara shares a personal anecdote about finding his way home across London without a map, highlighting our innate ability to navigate using dead reckoning or path integration. This skill allows us to move in the right general direction toward a destination, even in unfamiliar areas.
The Brain's GPS System
Scientists are gradually unraveling the mysteries of our sense of direction. Neuroscientist John O'Keefe made groundbreaking discoveries about how the brain determines our location. He found that specific cells around the hippocampus, called place cells, activate when we're in familiar locations. These cells work most effectively when we walk.
Further research has revealed other fascinating types of cells that aid in navigation:
- Head-direction cells: Act as an inner compass
- Cells that respond to nearby objects
- Perimeter cells: Respond to surrounding boundaries
Together, these cells form a complex GPS-like network in our brains, constantly updating as we move through our environment.
The Importance of Walkable Cities
The Urban Challenge
With over half the global population living in urban areas (projected to reach 80-90% by 2050), the need for walkable cities has never been greater. Unfortunately, many urban planners have prioritized traffic flow over pedestrian-friendly design, which is the opposite of what we truly need.
Elements of a Walkable City
O'Mara outlines several key factors that make a city walkable:
- Proximity of amenities (shops, schools) to residential areas
- High-quality walking experiences (comfortable, safe, interesting)
- Streets designed like inviting living rooms
- Ample green spaces (e.g., Hyde Park in London, Central Park in New York)
- Consideration for aging populations (e.g., easy-to-navigate road crossings)
Benefits of Walkable Cities
The advantages of creating walkable urban environments extend beyond personal health:
- Increased economic activity due to easy access to shops and offices
- Higher economic productivity (studies show a negative correlation between time spent in cars and productivity)
O'Mara suggests using the acronym EASE to guide city planning:
- Easy to walk
- Accessible
- Safe
- Enjoyable for everyone
He even proposes that psychologists and neuroscientists, rather than traditional city planners and architects, should lead urban design efforts to create truly walkable cities.
The Healing Power of Walking
The Perils of Inactivity
Research shows that a lack of physical activity can negatively impact our personalities, leading to:
- Lower levels of extraversion
- Reduced openness
- Decreased agreeableness
While the exact mechanisms behind these changes are not fully understood, O'Mara suggests that walking can effectively reverse these negative trends.
Walking as Medicine
Hippocrates, the ancient physician, famously declared walking to be the best medicine. Modern research supports this claim, revealing numerous benefits of regular walking:
- Improved mental well-being
- Reduced risk of depression (by up to 12% with just one hour of physical activity per week)
- Enhanced brain function and production of new brain cells
- Maintenance of muscle health
The Outdoor Advantage
While any form of exercise is beneficial, walking outdoors in natural environments appears to be particularly effective for mental well-being. A study in Ottawa, Canada, found that people who walked along a riverside reported better moods compared to those who walked through a tunnel.
Walking and Creativity
Historical Examples
O'Mara shares the story of Sir William Rowan Hamilton, an Irish mathematician who made a breakthrough in complex numbers during one of his daily two-hour walks. This anecdote illustrates the powerful connection between walking and creative thinking.
Other notable figures who have found inspiration through walking include:
- Henry David Thoreau
- William Wordsworth
- Friedrich Nietzsche
The Science Behind Walking and Creativity
The author explains that walking stimulates creativity by engaging two modes of brain function simultaneously:
- Active mode: Focused on specific tasks
- Default mode: Allows the mind to wander and process memories
This combination of active idleness, as O'Mara calls it, is ideal for creative problem-solving. Walking stimulates the hippocampus, which is active in both spatial navigation and memory processing.
The Social Aspect of Walking
Walking as a Social Activity
O'Mara emphasizes that walking is fundamentally a social activity. Research shows that elderly people who walk regularly (around 150 minutes per week) tend to be more socially active and report higher levels of well-being. For young children, walking is crucial for social development, leading to increased play and vocalization.
The Power of Group Walking
Walking in groups offers unique benefits:
- Synchronization of steps, which involves complex brain processes
- Psychological highs from being part of a large group (e.g., during protests or concerts)
Even solo walks can have social aspects, such as pilgrimages that create a sense of solidarity with others sharing the same faith or cause.
Conclusion: Embracing the Walk
O'Mara concludes by emphasizing the importance of valuing our ability to walk. He urges individuals to make time for regular walks to reap the mental and physical benefits. Additionally, he calls on policymakers, urban planners, and healthcare professionals to prioritize and encourage walking in their respective fields.
The author argues that our cities should be designed with pedestrians in mind, featuring green spaces and walker-friendly infrastructure. By recognizing walking as a central part of what makes us human and embracing its numerous benefits, we can improve our individual lives and create better, more livable communities.
Final Thoughts
"In Praise of Walking" offers a compelling case for the simple act of walking as a powerful tool for improving our physical health, mental well-being, creativity, and social connections. O'Mara's exploration of the science behind walking reveals the complex and fascinating processes that occur in our brains and bodies when we engage in this fundamental human activity.
The book serves as a wake-up call to our increasingly sedentary society, reminding us of the importance of movement in our daily lives. It challenges us to reconsider our relationship with walking and to make conscious efforts to incorporate more of it into our routines.
Moreover, O'Mara's insights into urban planning and the need for walkable cities provide valuable food for thought for policymakers and city dwellers alike. By creating environments that encourage and facilitate walking, we can build healthier, more connected, and more sustainable communities.
As we face growing challenges related to physical and mental health, as well as environmental concerns, the simple act of walking emerges as a powerful solution. It's a remedy that's accessible to most people, requires no special equipment, and offers a wide range of benefits.
The next time you're faced with a problem that seems insurmountable, consider taking a walk. Allow your mind to wander as your feet carry you forward. You may be surprised by the solutions and insights that emerge when you combine the physical act of walking with the mental freedom it provides.
In a world that often prioritizes speed and efficiency, "In Praise of Walking" reminds us of the value of slowing down, connecting with our surroundings, and rediscovering the joy of bipedal motion. It encourages us to step away from our desks, leave our cars behind, and explore the world on foot – not just for our own benefit, but for the betterment of our communities and the planet as a whole.
So, lace up your shoes, step outside, and take a walk. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you for it. And who knows? You might just stumble upon your next great idea or moment of inspiration as you put one foot in front of the other.