Episode #1: How Movement Impacts the Mind; Exploring the Science Behind this Key Connection with Caroline Williams
I really enjoyed chatting with self-confessed ‘movement/mind geek’, journalist, author and editor Caroline Williams.
We discuss the connection between movement and the mind, highlighting the physical and mental benefits of exercise. Caroline explains how movement affects brain function and the importance of incorporating movement into daily life, the impact of sedentarism on the brain and the role of movement in preventing cognitive decline and mental diseases.
We talked about the relationship between movement and confidence, as well as the positive effects of movements that emphasise bonding and synchronicity.
Caroline provides some fascinating examples from her research for her highly successful book, ‘Move! The new science of body over mind’. Caroline’s ability to make the science easily digestible to the non-scientist and her sense of fun, make her work hugely enjoyable and accessible.
Chapters
03:23 The Connection Between Movement and the Brain
04:20 The Physical Benefits of Movement
05:48 The Mind-Body Connection
10:39 The Effect of Sedentary Lifestyle on the Brain
13:07 Preventing Cognitive Decline and Mental Diseases
18:00 The Importance of Movement in Schools
19:04 The Relationship Between Movement and Confidence
23:19 The Benefits of Walking and Breathing
25:24 The Synchronicity of Movement and Bonding
28:02 The Positive Effects of Dance and Synchronicity
30:23 The Effects of Walking Forward on the Brain
32:46 The Importance of Stretching and Interoception
About this week’s guest:
Caroline Williams is a science journalist, editor and author based in the UK. She is a consultant and regular contributor to New Scientist magazine, covering neuroscience, health and nature-based stories. Her work has also appeared in the Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, BBC Future, BBC Earth and the Boston Globe, among others.
She is the author of two books: Move! and Override, and is the editor of two of New Scientist’s Instant Expert Guides: How Your Brain Works: Inside the most complicated object in the known universe and Your Conscious Mind: Unravelling the greatest mystery of the human brain. She also edited New Scientist’s Essential Guide to the Brain.
Caroline has spent the past few years researching how body movements can dramatically change the way we think and feel, visiting scientists in their labs all over the world and meeting expert movers, from yoga gurus to stuntmen and from dancers to ultra-marathon runners.
She gets her own movement fix from yoga, paddle-boarding, mountain biking and walking her New Zealand sheepdog cross, Jango.
Connect here:
Website: carolinefwilliams.net
Instagram: https://instagram.com/carolinewilliams_science
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/sciencecaroline
More about your host, Wendy
Wendy (49) founded Reclaim Movement after a running injury at 40 turned into 4 years of chronic pain. In her search for answers and to reclaim her own movement again she discovered natural movement. The philosophy of training real life practical movements to be able to keep using them as we age, coupled with the benefit of using strengthening and mobilising whole-body movement patterns that are underused in today’s modern world made her realise she had found a way to move for life.
Wendy’s aim is to help people embrace a movement-rich life, at any age, to improve mobility, strength and confidence to keep moving well and doing the things they love for as long as they want.
MovNat Level 1 certified & Functional Range Conditioning certified, she coaches online group classes live & by replay in the Reclaim Movement membership as well as online and in-person private coaching in Oxford.
Find out more how Reclaim Movement:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/reclaim.movement
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@reclaim.movement
Facebook: https://facebook.com/reclaim.movement
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