Move!

Move! Plot Summary

Introduction

Picture this: you're sitting at your desk, hunched over your computer, shoulders tense, neck stiff, and your mind feeling just as rigid as your body. This scenario is all too common in our modern world, where we spend up to 70% of our waking hours sitting or lying completely still. We've engineered movement out of our lives with remarkable efficiency, creating technologies that make physical exertion almost entirely optional. The problem? Our bodies and minds weren't designed for this sedentary existence. In "MOVE!", Caroline Williams presents a compelling case that this disconnect between our evolutionary heritage and modern lifestyle is taking a serious toll on our mental health, cognitive abilities, and emotional well-being. Drawing on cutting-edge research from neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and psychology, she reveals that movement isn't just good for our physical health—it's essential for how we think and feel. Our brains evolved not primarily for abstract thought but to coordinate movement, and this fundamental connection means that physical activity directly shapes our mental processes in ways we're only beginning to understand. From walking to enhance creativity, to dancing for emotional regulation, to stretching for stress relief, Williams shows that the right kinds of movement can serve as a powerful shortcut to changing how we think and feel, offering solutions to everything from anxiety and depression to cognitive decline.

Chapter 1: Why We Move: Evolution's Mind-Body Connection

The humble sea squirt offers a fascinating insight into the evolutionary purpose of our brains. As a young larva, it swims freely using its primitive brain and nerve cord to navigate the ocean. But once it finds a suitable rock to attach to, it does something remarkable—it digests its own brain. Having no further need to move, it has no further need to think. This striking example, highlighted by neuroscientist Rodolfo Llinás, suggests that brains evolved primarily for movement, not for abstract thought. Our human brains, with their 86 billion neurons and 100 trillion connections, represent an extreme investment in neural architecture. While traditional explanations focus on our expanded cortex and its role in social cognition or tool use, evolutionary anthropologist Robert Barton offers a movement-based theory. Around 25 million years ago, our ape ancestors developed a new way of moving—brachiation, or swinging arm-over-arm through trees. This complex movement pattern required sophisticated planning and coordination, leading to an expansion of the cerebellum, the brain region traditionally associated with movement control. Intriguingly, most of this expanded cerebellum connects not to movement areas but to regions involved in thinking and emotional control, suggesting that our capacity for complex thought evolved from our need to plan complex movements. When our ancestors later shifted to a more terrestrial lifestyle, walking upright and traveling long distances to find food, new evolutionary pressures emerged. Those who could not only walk and run efficiently but also make intelligent decisions about navigation and resource gathering were more likely to survive. This created a unique evolutionary situation where physical activity and cognitive ability became inextricably linked. Unlike other great apes who can remain sedentary without consequence, humans evolved a "use it or lose it" physiology where physical movement stimulates brain growth and maintenance. This evolutionary history explains why sedentary behavior is so detrimental to human cognition. Studies show that prolonged sitting is linked to declining IQ scores, reduced creativity, and increased risk of mental health issues. When we don't move enough, our brains interpret this as a signal to reduce capacity—literally shrinking areas involved in memory and executive function. Conversely, physical activity stimulates the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus and increases blood flow to the brain, enhancing cognitive function. The implications extend beyond physical health to our very sense of self. According to philosophers and neuroscientists like Antonio Damasio, our consciousness is grounded in bodily sensations and movements. The constant feedback between brain and body creates what Damasio calls our "background feelings"—the emotional soundtrack of our lives. By changing how we move, we can literally change how we feel and think. This evolutionary perspective offers a profound reframing of the mind-body relationship. Rather than thinking of the mind as software running on the brain's hardware, with the body as merely an input device, we might better understand the mind as emerging from the dynamic interaction between brain, body, and environment. The brain isn't so much a master controller as a facilitator, bringing together information from throughout the body to coordinate action in the world.

Chapter 2: The Joy of Steps: Walking to Enhance Cognition

Charles Darwin had a secret weapon for developing his revolutionary ideas—a "thinking path" that he walked several times daily around the grounds of his home. This simple habit of walking while thinking placed Darwin in good company with other intellectual giants like Friedrich Nietzsche, Virginia Woolf, and more recently, tech innovators like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. While the connection between walking and thinking has long been observed, science is now revealing exactly how and why this works. Walking represents perhaps the most fundamental human movement pattern, and our bodies are exquisitely designed to benefit from it. When we walk, especially at a brisk pace of about 120 steps per minute, several physiological mechanisms activate to enhance brain function. Engineer Dick Greene discovered that putting weight on our feet during walking compresses the major arteries there, creating turbulence in the blood that increases blood flow to the brain by 10-15%. This effect is maximized when our step rate synchronizes with our heart rate at around 120 beats per minute, creating a steady and predictable boost in cerebral circulation. Even more surprisingly, walking stimulates the release of osteocalcin, a hormone produced by bone cells. Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel discovered that this bone-derived hormone enhances memory and cognitive function. When we put weight on our bones by walking, standing, or carrying loads, osteocalcin is released into the bloodstream, where it travels to the hippocampus—the brain region responsible for memory—and enhances its function. This mechanism explains why weight-bearing exercise is particularly beneficial for brain health, especially as we age and osteocalcin levels naturally decline. The psychological benefits of walking extend beyond these physiological mechanisms. Moving forward through space creates a literal and figurative sense of progress that can help combat depression and rumination. Studies show that the physical act of moving forward makes the past feel more distant and directs thoughts toward the future. This explains why ultra-marathon runner Marcus Scotney found that running long distances helped him overcome depression and addiction—the physical movement created a mental sense of moving away from his troubles. Walking also temporarily reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for focused, goal-directed thinking. This state of "hypofrontality" allows the mind to wander more freely, making new connections without the usual filters that narrow our thinking. Stanford University researchers found that walking increased creative thinking by up to 60% compared to sitting, regardless of whether participants walked indoors or outdoors. This effect even persisted for a short time after they sat back down, suggesting that a brief walk before a brainstorming session could significantly boost creative output. Given these benefits, it's troubling that walking rates continue to decline worldwide. Children spend up to 50% of their free time sitting, and many adults walk less than 5,000 steps daily—far below the 8,000-15,000 steps that hunter-gatherer populations like the Hadza typically achieve. This sedentary trend may help explain why creative ideas seem to be getting harder to find, despite increasing research efforts, and why creativity scores among children have been declining for decades.

Chapter 3: Fighting Fit: Building Strength for Mental Resilience

Terry Kvasnik had spent his entire life training his body—from gymnastics at age three to breakdancing, martial arts, and eventually performing as an acrobat with Cirque du Soleil. This physical mastery saved his life when a car pulled in front of his moped at 40 mph. "It was like my body said, 'I've got this, step out of the way, Terry,'" he recalls. Using the moped as a launch pad, he instinctively flipped over the car, rolled, and landed on his feet, walking away with only minor injuries. While most of us will never need to perform such dramatic feats, Kvasnik's experience illustrates something important: physical strength and mastery translate into mental capability and emotional resilience. Research dating back to 1988 shows that strength training significantly increases feelings of confidence and self-efficacy that extend far beyond the gym. When teenage girls increased their physical strength by 40% through weight training, they reported greater confidence in their "general effectiveness in life" and improved ability to resolve social conflicts. This connection between physical and mental strength appears to be hardwired into our biology. According to neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, our sense of self is built on our body's implicit assessment of what it can handle. The constant feedback from our muscles, bones, and other tissues—what Damasio calls the "musculoskeletal division" of the self—directly feeds into our perception of what we can achieve in all areas of life. Alarmingly, physical strength has been declining across generations. A 2016 study found that millennial men had significantly weaker grip strength than their counterparts from the 1980s, while British schoolchildren show a 20% decrease in muscle strength compared to children from 1998. This weakening may be contributing to rising levels of anxiety and depression. If our bodies are constantly sending messages of physical incapability, it's hardly surprising that we feel mentally and emotionally vulnerable as well. The good news is that strengthening the body can rapidly change these internal signals. Studies consistently show that resistance training reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression while boosting self-esteem—often faster and more effectively than other forms of exercise. Importantly, these mental benefits occur regardless of whether muscle size visibly increases. This is because much of early strength gain comes not from adding muscle fibers but from improving neural connections to existing muscles and releasing "spare capacity" that the body normally holds in reserve. Physical strength is particularly valuable for recovering from trauma. Studies of first responders who attended the World Trade Center site in 2001 found that they had almost half the grip strength of age-matched controls a decade later, suggesting that trauma physically weakens the body. Conversely, building strength through activities like boxing or martial arts can help trauma survivors regain a sense of physical safety and control. As trauma specialist Bessel van der Kolk explains, traumatic memories are stored in the body, and movement-based therapies can help "complete" the physical responses that were interrupted during the traumatic event. The type of strength training matters too. Jerome Rattoni, a master instructor for MovNat (a natural movement system), argues that true fitness isn't about isolated exercises but about mastering movements humans evolved to perform—climbing, jumping, carrying, and throwing. "The point of a pull-up is to get up on top of something," he explains. "Otherwise why would I bother?" This approach to strength, focused on practical capability rather than appearance, connects directly to our evolutionary heritage and provides a powerful sense of competence that spills over into all aspects of life.

Chapter 4: Slave to the Rhythm: Dance and Emotional Regulation

Kevin Edward Turner, a professional dancer and choreographer, knows firsthand the transformative power of dance for mental health. During a severe depressive episode that led to hospitalization, his first sign of trouble was that he no longer wanted to move. "There was a period of time when I was very inactive and I found it very difficult to motivate myself," he recalls. As he recovered, dance provided a lifeline: "Being able to use movement and dance to express what was going on in me internally was a big part of me getting back to being able to work again." Dance represents perhaps the most fundamentally human way to move. Every human culture throughout history has included some form of rhythmic movement to music, typically as part of celebrations or rituals. Archaeological evidence of group dance dates back at least 9,000 years, and the oldest musical instruments—bone flutes—are around 45,000 years old. This universal human tendency appears to be hardwired from birth. Studies show that newborns as young as two or three days old can detect rhythm, and by five months, babies already show signs of moving in time to music, smiling more when they successfully synchronize with the beat. The science behind dance's emotional power is multifaceted. At its most basic level, moving to a beat provides a dopamine reward. When we hear music, brain regions involved in planning movements activate automatically, creating an almost irresistible urge to move along. Following the beat with our bodies gives us a second hit of dopamine, plus a satisfying sense of being "one" with the music. This synchronization happens through entrainment—a phenomenon where brainwaves in different regions begin to pulse in time with each other, allowing information to flow more efficiently across the brain. Dance becomes even more powerful when done with others. Studies from the University of Oxford show that when we move in synchrony with other people, our brains begin to blur the distinction between "self" and "other." This happens because the proprioceptive information about our own movements blends with visual information about others' movements, creating a sense of connection that transcends individual boundaries. Even one-year-old toddlers are more likely to help an adult after being bounced on their knee in time to music, suggesting that synchronized movement creates social bonds at a fundamental level. Beyond social connection, dance offers a unique pathway to emotional literacy and regulation. Neuroscientist Julia Christensen explains that rhythmic movement can induce an altered state of consciousness by consuming all available attention, leaving no mental bandwidth for worrying about the past or future. Meanwhile, the physical expression of emotions through movement helps us understand and process our feelings in ways that talking cannot. "There's an intimacy and an immediacy to embodying how you're feeling that is quite different from talking about it," explains dancer and researcher Rebecca Barnstaple. This embodied approach to emotions is particularly valuable given that up to 17% of men and 10% of women struggle with alexithymia—difficulty identifying and expressing feelings. Dance provides a non-verbal language for emotions that bypasses cognitive barriers. Studies show that even brief periods of dance can improve mood, reduce stress hormones, and increase serotonin levels in people with mild depression. More importantly, dance expands our emotional repertoire by allowing us to safely experiment with new ways of responding to situations. The physical mechanism behind dance's mood-boosting effects may partly lie in the vestibular system—the balance organs of the inner ear. According to neuroscientist Neil Todd, this system is directly wired to the brain's pleasure centers, which is why activities that challenge our balance—from swings and roller coasters to dancing—feel so exhilarating. When we dance to music above 90 decibels (the "rock 'n' roll threshold"), low-frequency vibrations may even stimulate the otoliths, ancient hearing structures that detect up-and-down movement, creating a direct physical pathway to pleasure.

Chapter 5: Core Benefits: Posture, Stress and Mental Well-being

In 1945, Joseph Pilates boldly claimed that his core-strengthening exercises would "relax the nerves" and eliminate the "poisons generated by nervousness." Neuroscientist Peter Strick would have dismissed such claims as nonsense—until his own research unexpectedly proved Pilates right. While mapping neural pathways between brain and body, Strick's team discovered a direct connection between the brain regions controlling core muscles and the adrenal glands, which regulate the body's stress response. This finding provides a biological basis for the long-observed link between posture and mental state. Psychologists have known for decades that an upright posture correlates with positive emotions and confidence, while slouching is associated with feelings of defeat and fatigue. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy famously demonstrated that adopting "power poses"—expansive postures that take up space—for just two minutes increased feelings of power and improved performance under stress. Though her research faced criticism when other scientists couldn't replicate the hormonal changes she initially reported, subsequent reviews have confirmed that posture does indeed influence how powerful people feel. The mechanism appears to involve a two-way conversation between core muscles and stress regulation systems. When we activate our core muscles—whether through deliberate exercise like Pilates or simply by sitting or standing up straight—we send signals via neural pathways to the adrenal medulla, potentially modulating the stress response. Conversely, when we're stressed or depressed, our posture tends to collapse, creating a feedback loop that can reinforce negative emotional states. Health psychologist Elizabeth Broadbent has demonstrated these effects experimentally. When volunteers were asked to give an impromptu speech (a reliable stress inducer) while either sitting upright or slouching, those with good posture reported higher mood, lower fatigue, and less anxiety. Physiological measurements showed they also had lower blood pressure and less sweating, suggesting their bodies were physically less stressed. Interestingly, analysis of speech content revealed that upright participants used first-person pronouns less frequently, indicating they were less self-focused—a trait associated with better mental health. The core's influence extends beyond posture to overall stress regulation. The muscles of the trunk, particularly the psoas (which connects the spine to the thigh and intertwines with the diaphragm), play a crucial role in both movement and breathing. Some practitioners suggest that the psoas acts as a physical link between the stress response and the act of running away—and that chronic sitting shortens this muscle, potentially contributing to a state of constant low-level stress. This connection between core activation and stress regulation may explain why practices like yoga, Pilates, and tai chi are so effective for mental well-being. These disciplines emphasize proper alignment, core engagement, and conscious breathing—all of which may help regulate the stress response via these newly discovered neural pathways. Even simple adjustments to everyday posture could make a difference. Sitting or standing up straight with head held high not only projects confidence to others but actually changes internal physiological states in ways that reduce stress and improve mood. The benefits may be particularly significant for people with stress-related illnesses. Gastroenterologist David Levinthal notes that irritable bowel syndrome and other "psychosomatic" gut disorders may involve dysfunction in the mind-body interaction, particularly in how core muscles respond to changes in abdominal pressure. Clinical trials of yoga for IBS have shown promising results, relieving both gut symptoms and anxiety, suggesting that core-focused movement addresses both physical and mental aspects of the condition. While more research is needed to fully understand these connections, the emerging picture suggests that our core is far more than just a set of muscles that help us look good at the beach. It's a crucial interface between mind and body, playing a central role in how we experience and regulate stress, emotions, and even our sense of self.

Chapter 6: Stretch: Fascia, Inflammation and Emotional Health

There's something deeply satisfying about a good stretch, especially after hours of sitting still. That pleasurable sensation isn't just psychological—it reflects profound changes occurring at the cellular level that may have far-reaching effects on both physical and mental health. Recent research suggests that stretching acts as a full-body reset, potentially influencing everything from immune function to emotional well-being through its effects on a long-overlooked tissue: fascia. Fascia is a type of connective tissue that literally holds our bodies together. It surrounds every muscle fiber, separates organs into compartments, and forms a continuous network throughout the body. Despite its ubiquity, fascia was historically ignored by anatomists who scraped it away to see the "interesting" structures beneath. However, scientists like Helene Langevin, now at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, have begun revealing fascia's crucial role in body-wide communication. Langevin's research shows that stretching changes fascia at the cellular level. When connective tissue is stretched, cells called fibroblasts change shape, becoming flatter and longer. As part of this process, they release adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—a molecule typically known for its role in cellular energy production. Outside the cell, however, ATP serves as a signaling molecule that helps manage inflammation. Simultaneously, the stretched tissue becomes less stiff and more pliable, suggesting that stretching initiates a cascade of biochemical changes throughout the body. This connection to inflammation is particularly significant for mental health. Over the past two decades, scientists have identified inflammation as a key link between stress and mental illness. When we experience stress—whether physical or psychological—the body's immune system activates, increasing inflammatory markers in the blood. This inflammatory response evolved to prepare for potential injuries during fight-or-flight situations, but in modern life, chronic stress can lead to persistent low-level inflammation that never fully resolves. This chronic inflammation has been implicated in depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. The mental aspects of inflammation are familiar to anyone who's had the flu—that feeling of lethargy, misery, and wanting to hide under the covers is part of "sickness behavior," an evolutionary response that prompts rest and recovery. When inflammation becomes chronic due to ongoing stress, loneliness, or sedentary behavior, these depressive symptoms can become persistent. Langevin's research suggests that stretching may help break this cycle. In studies with rats, her team found that gentle stretching reduced local inflammation and increased the production of specialized molecules called resolvins that actively turn off the inflammatory response. While human studies are still underway, these findings suggest that regular stretching could serve as a reset button for the body's inflammatory state, potentially improving both physical and mental health. The benefits of stretching may extend beyond inflammation to the movement of fluids throughout the body. In 2018, researchers at New York University discovered that what had appeared to be dense meshes of collagen fibers under the microscope were actually more like fluid-filled sponges in their natural state. This interstitial fluid network may contain up to 10 liters of fluid—about 20% of the body's total fluid volume—and connects to the lymphatic system, which helps clear waste and regulate immune function. Movement, including stretching, appears necessary to keep this fluid flowing properly. Organs like the heart, lungs, and gut naturally squeeze their surrounding tissues through their normal functions, but the fascia around other body parts only gets compressed when we voluntarily move. Without regular movement, this fluid may stagnate, potentially allowing inflammatory markers and waste products to accumulate. This may explain why yoga practitioners have long claimed that certain poses "cleanse" the organs—stretching may literally help flush the body's tissues. Interestingly, too much flexibility can also cause problems. About 20% of people have hypermobile joints, meaning their connective tissue is unusually stretchy. This condition has been strongly linked to anxiety disorders, with one study finding that anxiety is sixteen times more common in people with hypermobile joints. Researchers at the University of Sussex suggest this connection may stem from difficulties with interoception—the ability to sense internal bodily states. People with hypermobile joints tend to be highly sensitive to internal signals but less accurate at identifying their source or meaning, potentially interpreting normal sensations as signs of danger. Whether you're naturally stiff or overly flexible, the key to healthy fascia appears to be gentle, mindful movement rather than forcing your body into extreme positions. As Sharath Jois, the current guru of Ashtanga yoga, advises: "You should know your limitations."

Chapter 7: Breathless: Controlling Breath to Master Your Mind

There's a moment in the film "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" when Caesar the chimp speaks for the first time, yelling "No!" at his abusive keeper before knocking him unconscious. What makes this scene particularly unnerving isn't just an animal using language—it's that Caesar then steadies himself by taking a few deep breaths, demonstrating a uniquely human skill of mental self-regulation through breath control. This ability to consciously control our breathing is something we often take for granted, yet it provides us with a remarkable tool to steer our thoughts and feelings. The science behind this connection begins with the brainstem, where a cluster of neurons called the Bötzinger Complex (named after a bottle of German wine by the researcher who discovered it) automatically sets the rhythm of our breathing. This system works day and night without conscious input, ensuring we take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide even while sleeping. What makes humans special is our ability to override this automatic system and voluntarily control our breathing rate, depth, and pathway. This skill likely evolved alongside our capacity for speech, which requires precise control over exhalation and the muscles of the throat and mouth. Studies of ancient human skeletons show that modern humans and Neanderthals evolved spinal columns with more space for the nerves that supply breathing muscles, allowing for finer control of respiration. This voluntary control gives us access to a powerful body-mind connection. Recent research with epilepsy patients, who had electrodes implanted in their brains for medical reasons, has revealed that breathing acts as a conductor for brain activity. When we breathe, particularly through the nose, our brainwaves synchronize with our breathing rhythm. This synchronization starts in the olfactory bulb, where scents are processed, but then spreads to areas involved in memory, emotion, and even higher cognitive functions in the prefrontal cortex. Different breathing patterns can encourage particular brainwave frequencies to dominate, shifting our mental state in predictable ways. Breathing in, especially through the nose, enhances memory and speeds reaction time to emotional stimuli. This may explain why we naturally breathe faster in emergencies—to take in more information and process it more quickly. Conversely, slow breathing promotes relaxation and internal awareness by synchronizing brainwaves in regions involved in interoception—our sense of the body's internal state. The rate at which we breathe is particularly significant. Six breaths per minute (breathing in for five seconds and out for five seconds) appears to be a physiological sweet spot that maximizes oxygen uptake while activating the parasympathetic nervous system—the "rest and digest" branch of our autonomic nervous system. This activation occurs via the vagus nerve, a major communication channel between brain and body that helps regulate stress, inflammation, and emotional responses. When we breathe at six breaths per minute, heart rate variability increases—a sign of healthy vagal tone and stress resilience. Higher vagal tone has been linked to better working memory, emotional stability, and reduced risk of anxiety and depression. It also improves the body's ability to control inflammation, potentially addressing a root cause of many physical and mental health issues. Even slower breathing—around three breaths per minute—can induce altered states of consciousness. Researchers at the University of Pisa found that this extremely slow breathing rate synchronizes brainwaves at theta frequencies, particularly in brain regions involved in emotional processing and self-reflection. Volunteers reported feeling deeply relaxed and experiencing a state of "being" rather than "thinking"—similar to what experienced meditators describe after years of practice. Interestingly, many ancient spiritual practices intuitively discovered these physiological effects. A 2001 study found that reciting the rosary in Latin and chanting yogic mantras both naturally slow breathing to around six breaths per minute. This may explain why these practices have persisted for centuries—they induce physiological states that feel good and promote well-being. The benefits of conscious breathing extend to movement as well. Synchronizing breath with physical activity—as in yoga, tai chi, or even walking at 120 steps per minute while breathing at six breaths per minute—may optimize both physical and mental performance. This coordination could explain the sensation of moving "energy" around the body that practitioners of these disciplines often report.

Summary

The revolutionary insight at the heart of "MOVE!" is that our minds are not separate from our bodies but are fundamentally shaped by how we move. Through compelling scientific evidence, Williams demonstrates that movement isn't just something we do with our bodies—it's the foundation of how we think, feel, and experience the world. Our brains evolved primarily to coordinate movement, and this evolutionary heritage means that physical activity directly influences our cognitive abilities, emotional states, and even our sense of self. The implications of this body-mind connection are profound and far-reaching. By understanding the specific mechanisms through which different types of movement affect our mental states—whether it's walking to enhance creativity, strength training to build resilience, dance to regulate emotions, or breathing techniques to manage stress—we gain powerful tools for improving our lives. Rather than treating movement as optional or separate from mental health, we might better view it as essential medicine for the mind. This perspective invites us to reconsider how we structure our days, our workplaces, and even our educational systems. What might happen if we designed our lives around our bodies' need for varied, purposeful movement rather than accepting sedentary defaults? How might our collective mental health improve if we recognized movement not as a luxury but as a necessity?

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Caroline F Williams

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