In "The Joy of Movement", health psychologist Kelly McGonigal explores the profound connections between physical activity and human happiness. Drawing on a wealth of scientific research and compelling stories, McGonigal makes a powerful case that movement is essential not just for our physical health, but for our mental and emotional wellbeing as well.
The book reveals how exercise affects our brains, our moods, our sense of self, and our relationships with others in ways that go far beyond simply burning calories or building muscle. McGonigal argues that humans are hardwired to find joy, meaning, and connection through movement - and that tapping into this innate drive can transform our lives in remarkable ways.
Whether you're a dedicated athlete or someone who struggles to get off the couch, "The Joy of Movement" offers eye-opening insights into why physical activity feels good and how it can enhance nearly every aspect of our lives. By understanding the science behind the "runner's high", the bonding power of synchronized movement, and other exercise-induced phenomena, readers will find new motivation and appreciation for moving their bodies.
The "Runner's High" and Exercise-Induced Euphoria
One of the most well-known positive effects of exercise is the so-called "runner's high" - that euphoric feeling that can arise during or after intense physical activity. McGonigal explains that this phenomenon has fascinated researchers and philosophers for well over a century.
As far back as 1885, Scottish philosopher Alexander Bain described the blissful state that can occur after prolonged jogging. He likened it to a spiritual experience. Others have compared it to being in love or to the effects of mind-altering drugs.
Recent scientific studies have shed light on what's actually happening in our brains during the runner's high. Interestingly, from a neurological standpoint, the closest comparison is to the effects of cannabis. Prolonged exercise dramatically increases levels of endocannabinoids in the brain - chemicals that cannabis mimics. Endocannabinoids are known to reduce pain, boost mood, and trigger the release of other feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine and endorphins.
But the benefits go beyond just feeling good in the moment. The endocannabinoid system also helps protect against anxiety and depression over the long term. McGonigal cites a study showing that just 30 minutes of exercise made people immune to severe anxiety induced by a potent drug - an effect equivalent to taking an anti-anxiety medication.
Importantly, you don't have to be a runner to experience this exercise-induced euphoria. Any moderately intense physical activity lasting more than 20 minutes can trigger it, whether that's swimming, cycling, brisk walking, or something else. McGonigal suggests "persistence high" might be a more accurate term than "runner's high."
So why did humans evolve to feel so good from prolonged exertion? The leading theory is that it motivated our hunter-gatherer ancestors to persist in physically demanding survival activities like tracking prey over long distances. The mood boost and increased sociability after exercise may have also encouraged sharing of food within tribes.
Exercise as a Healthy "Addiction"
While we often think of addiction in purely negative terms, McGonigal makes the case that exercise can function as a positive, health-promoting form of addiction for many people. She describes how researchers in the late 1960s struggled to find regular exercisers willing to stop working out for a study, even when offered significant financial incentives. Those who did sign up often cheated and lied about not exercising.
This illustrates how powerfully habit-forming regular physical activity can be. Like addictive drugs, exercise activates the brain's reward system, stimulating the release of feel-good chemicals like endocannabinoids, dopamine, and endorphins. For devoted exercisers, missing even a single workout can trigger anxiety and irritability. After several missed workouts, many report depression and insomnia.
Exercise "addicts" also show the same attentional bias as other addicts. When shown images related to working out, their brains light up in the same way a smoker's would when seeing cigarettes.
However, there are some key differences between exercise dependence and harmful addictions:
It takes longer for the brain to get hooked on exercise. While drugs can create addiction very quickly, it typically takes about 6 weeks of regular exercise (4+ times per week) for humans to develop a strong habit.
Exercise addiction tends to have positive rather than destructive outcomes. Instead of deteriorating health and relationships, it generally improves them.
The brain becomes more sensitive to the positive effects of exercise over time, rather than building up tolerance as with drugs. This is because exercise increases receptors for feel-good chemicals in the brain.
So while exercise can be psychologically and physiologically habit-forming, it's a "positive addiction" that enhances rather than harms wellbeing. The key is finding a sustainable, enjoyable routine.
The Power of Synchronized Movement
Throughout human history, people have gathered to move together in synchronized ways - from ancient tribal dances to modern group fitness classes. McGonigal explores the profound psychological and social effects of moving in unison with others.
Anthropologists have observed across cultures that synchronized movement seems to make people feel more connected - both to each other and to something larger than themselves. French sociologist Émile Durkheim called the joyful self-transcendence humans can derive from moving together "collective effervescence."
McGonigal explains that synchronizing our movements with others appears to be an ancient human reflex. When we feel close to someone, our breathing, heart rates, and even brain activity tend to automatically align. Interestingly, humans are actually better at synchronizing with another person's slightly irregular rhythm than with a perfect computer-generated beat.
The powerful effects of synchronized movement can be explained through proprioception - how our brain senses what our body is doing in space. When we move in sync with others, our brain integrates the visual input of their matching movements with our own bodily sensations. This creates a satisfying perception of oneness, blurring the lines between self and other. As a result, we become more likely to cooperate and share with those we've moved with.
This bonding effect shows up even in babies as young as 14 months old. Studies have found that infants who have bounced in time to music with an adult are more likely to then help that person with a simple task like picking up dropped objects.
McGonigal argues that synchronized movement serves key social functions:
- Helping us transcend our individual limitations
- Increasing mutual trust and cooperation
- Allowing us to bond with non-relatives
This explains why synchronous movement features in so many social, religious, and military rituals across human cultures. Whether it's a tribal dance or a modern Pilates class, moving together helps us leave our egos behind and connect.
Music as a Performance Enhancer
Music and movement have been intertwined throughout human history. McGonigal explores how music can dramatically enhance physical performance and exercise enjoyment.
She shares the story of Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie breaking the 2000 meter world record in 1998 while his favorite pop song "Scatman" played over the stadium speakers. Gebrselassie had trained to this song and convinced organizers to play it during the race. When he heard the familiar upbeat melody, he was able to run faster than ever before.
This anecdote illustrates music's remarkable power to push us beyond our perceived physical limits. Scientists describe music as ergogenic or work-enhancing. Studies have found that people who listen to music during workouts:
- Consume less oxygen
- Can exercise for longer before exhaustion
- Perceive less discomfort and fatigue
Even patients with high blood pressure lasted 51 seconds longer during a cardiovascular stress test when allowed to listen to their favorite music while on the treadmill.
McGonigal introduces Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist who specializes in creating workout playlists for elite athletes. He's found the best workout songs typically have:
- A strong, energetic beat
- A tempo of 120-140 beats per minute
- Motivational lyrics with words like "work," "go," or "run"
Songs with these qualities deliver an extra burst of performance-enhancing brain chemicals during exercise. The upbeat melodies and inspirational lyrics also help reframe physical discomfort in a more positive way.
The human urge to move to music is so powerful it has even led to medical breakthroughs. McGonigal shares neurologist Oliver Sacks' story of a woman whose leg was paralyzed after a complex fracture. Though doctors believed the nerve connection was severed, her foot spontaneously started tapping when she heard her favorite Irish jig. Through music therapy, she was eventually able to walk again by accessing muscle memory.
Transforming Fear into Empowerment
McGonigal explores how facing intense physical challenges can profoundly change our perception of ourselves and what we're capable of. She uses the example of Tough Mudder, an extreme obstacle course race where participants face terrifying challenges with names like "Arctic Enema" and "Electroshock Therapy."
While it may seem masochistic, overcoming such intense physical and mental challenges can be tremendously empowering. It allows people to face common fears - of heights, cold, confined spaces, etc. - in a controlled environment. Successfully completing the course provides a deep sense of confidence, bravery, and camaraderie with fellow participants.
The key psychological factor is having an element of control. When rats are randomly shocked by experimenters, they become helpless and depressed. But when given the ability to turn off shocks by turning a wheel, they bravely learn to do so and become more resilient to future stress.
Similarly, humans grow through challenges when given agency. McGonigal shares the example of DPI Adaptive Fitness, a gym specializing in training those with physical disabilities. New clients are encouraged to set seemingly impossible goals. For instance, a woman who had lost use of her legs aimed to throw 100 punches in 30 seconds to develop the upper body strength to transfer herself into a car. After just three months, she achieved this goal and soon after bought a new car.
McGonigal explains that since our body constantly sends feedback to our brain, mastering difficult physical challenges literally transforms our sense of self. Performing a powerful feat sends the message to our brain that we are powerful. In this way, exercise can challenge even our most deeply held limiting beliefs about ourselves.
The Benefits of "Green Exercise"
While exercise in any setting offers myriad benefits, McGonigal explores how being active in nature amplifies the positive effects. "Green exercise" taps into the human brain's evolutionary history of outdoor movement.
She notes that within just five minutes of exercising outdoors, people report major positive changes in mood and outlook. This makes sense considering the human brain evolved over millennia spent largely outdoors - running, walking, and foraging for food.
Brain scans reveal that our default mental state is quite different outdoors versus indoors:
Indoors (where Americans now spend 93% of their time on average):
- More activation in brain areas for memory, language, and social interaction
- A slight negative bias - more prone to rumination, self-criticism, and worry
Outdoors:
- Brain state resembles that of experienced meditators
- Less anxiety
- Greater awareness of surroundings
- A state researchers call "soft fascination"
Psychologist Alexandra Rosati believes these two brain states correspond to different types of cognition crucial for our ancestors' survival:
- Indoor state: social cognition for cooperating in small groups
- Outdoor state: foraging cognition for alertness while hunting/gathering
People who feel more connected to nature tend to spend more time in the "foraging" mental state. Perhaps as a result, they report greater life satisfaction, sense of purpose, and happiness. They are also less likely to experience depression and anxiety.
McGonigal highlights initiatives like the UK's Green Gym that harness the benefits of outdoor activity. Volunteers engage in nature-based activities with a social focus, like planting community gardens. After just 8 weeks, participants show a 20% increase in their cortisol awakening response - the energizing hormone boost that gets us going in the morning (often suppressed in depression).
Cultivating Mental Toughness Through Endurance
McGonigal explores how grueling endurance sports can build extraordinary mental resilience. She notes that since 1980, the number of Americans completing ultramarathons (races longer than 26.2 miles) has exploded from 650 to 79,000 in 2017.
What drives people to such extreme physical challenges? For many, it's a way to cultivate mental toughness that carries over to other areas of life. McGonigal shares the story of Shawn Bearden, an ultrarunner who found the sport helped him overcome depression. He explains that training his body to endure such intense physical hardship builds mental skills - like present-moment focus and drawing strength from loved ones - that help him manage his mental health.
Interestingly, many top endurance athletes have histories of depression, anxiety, or addiction. They're not necessarily drawn to the sport because they're already extremely resilient. Rather, the intense training and races teach them to become incredibly mentally tough.
McGonigal describes research on athletes competing in the Yukon Arctic Ultra - an extreme race through frigid conditions. Scientists found their ability to persist was linked to very high levels of the hormone irisin. Irisin helps burn fat for fuel, but also stimulates the brain's reward system, acting as a natural antidepressant and motivation-booster.
Irisin is part of a class of proteins called myokines that are produced by muscles during exercise. Myokines offer a host of benefits:
- Boost physical and cognitive performance
- Alleviate pain
- Reduce depression and inflammation
- Can even kill cancer cells
Because they can protect the brain from neurodegenerative symptoms of conditions like depression and Parkinson's, scientists have dubbed myokines "hope molecules."
While extreme endurance sports trigger intense myokine release, you don't need to be an ultrarunner to benefit. Even an hour of cycling releases about 35 different myokines into the bloodstream.
The Social Bonding Power of Exercise
Throughout the book, McGonigal emphasizes how profoundly movement can connect us with others. She explores several ways that exercise enhances social bonds:
Synchronized movement: As discussed earlier, moving in unison creates a powerful sense of connection and increases prosocial behavior. This applies in settings from dance classes to team sports.
Shared challenge: Facing difficult physical tasks together - whether it's an obstacle course race or a tough workout - creates a unique bond. McGonigal notes that many people form their closest friendships through sports teams or fitness communities.
Elevated mood: The positive emotions generated by exercise make us more open to social connection. We're more likely to smile at strangers or strike up conversations when we're in a good mood after working out.
Increased empathy: Some research suggests that regular exercisers show greater activity in brain regions associated with empathy and understanding others' emotions.
Community service: Initiatives that combine exercise with volunteering (like GoodGym in the UK) create meaningful social connections while helping others.
Spectator bonding: Even watching sports together can create social cohesion. McGonigal describes how fans' brains synchronize when watching games, creating a shared emotional experience.
Intergenerational connection: Physical activities can bridge age gaps, allowing grandparents to bond with grandchildren through play or sports.
Cultural expression: Many forms of movement, from traditional dances to martial arts, allow people to connect with their heritage and share it with others.
McGonigal argues that in our increasingly isolated modern world, movement-based communities can provide a vital sense of belonging and support. Whether it's a running club, yoga studio, or pickup basketball game, exercising with others satisfies deep human needs for connection.
Overcoming Exercise Barriers
While the book focuses primarily on the benefits of movement, McGonigal also addresses common obstacles that prevent people from being more active. She offers several insights and strategies for overcoming exercise resistance:
Start small: Even tiny amounts of movement can trigger positive brain changes. A 5-minute walk or a few yoga poses can begin building the exercise habit.
Focus on immediate benefits: Instead of distant goals like weight loss, pay attention to how movement makes you feel right away - more energized, less stressed, etc.
Find enjoyable activities: Exercise doesn't have to mean going to the gym. Dancing, gardening, playing with kids, or any form of movement you enjoy "counts."
Use music: As discussed earlier, music can make exercise feel easier and more enjoyable. Create upbeat playlists for workouts.
Get outdoors: Green exercise provides mood-boosting benefits beyond indoor workouts. Even a brief outdoor walk can be powerfully refreshing.
Make it social: Exercising with friends or joining group classes increases accountability and enjoyment for many people.
Reframe discomfort: Some physical challenge is necessary for growth. Try viewing it as a sign you're getting stronger rather than as suffering.
Set process goals: Instead of outcome-focused goals (like losing 10 pounds), set goals around consistently taking action (like walking 3 times per week).
Be compassionate: If you miss workouts, don't beat yourself up. Treat yourself with the kindness you'd show a friend and get back on track.
Experiment: Try a variety of activities to find what resonates. Your perfect form of movement might be something unexpected.
McGonigal emphasizes that there's no one-size-fits-all approach. The key is finding sustainable ways to incorporate more joyful movement into your life.
Conclusion: Movement as a Birthright
In her conclusion, McGonigal makes a passionate case that movement is not just beneficial, but essential for human flourishing. She argues that physical activity is a fundamental human need and birthright - as vital to our wellbeing as food, water, or sleep.
She points out that throughout most of human history, regular movement was simply a fact of life. It's only in recent generations that we've engineered physical activity out of our daily routines. While this has brought many benefits, it's also deprived us of something our bodies and minds desperately need.
McGonigal encourages readers to reclaim their birthright of joyful movement. This doesn't mean everyone needs to become a marathoner or CrossFit enthusiast. Rather, it's about finding ways to weave more physical activity into the fabric of our lives - in whatever form works for our individual situations and preferences.
She emphasizes that it's never too late to start experiencing the benefits of movement. Whether you're 8 or 80, previously active or completely sedentary, there are ways to safely increase physical activity and tap into its mood-boosting, health-promoting, connection-building power.
Ultimately, McGonigal's work reveals movement as a powerful, universally accessible tool for enhancing nearly every aspect of our lives. By understanding the profound effects of physical activity on our brains, bodies, and relationships, we can approach exercise not as a chore, but as a source of joy, meaning, and human connection.
The book leaves readers with a sense of possibility and motivation to get moving - not out of obligation, but out of a recognition that we are born to move, and that in movement we can find some of life's greatest rewards.