Exercise and the Writer's Mind

The woman who teaches my exercise class had her eye on me yesterday.

“You need to keep your mind engaged on what you’re doing here, not on what’s happening after you leave class,” she said.

I laughed.

I’m notorious for missing a step because while my body is dancing zumba, my mind is often elsewhere.

I’ve written before about the odd places that come to mind while I’m dancing, but this particular class has also been a source of inspiration, too many times.

For example, today’s blog post. 🙂

There’s something about the increased blood flow to the mind while exercising which, for me, seems to spark ideas.

I’ve plotted novels in this class.

(Okay, so it involved a fitness instructor, but it’s still a good idea).

I’ve prayed for people while dancing.

(I don’t know why my friend Mumsee with her 13 children come to mind while I dance, but there it is).

I’ve contemplated my work in progress while doing a “jazz square.”

(Should I use a grasshopper attack or a tornado to advance the story?)

And the best day of all, while driving home I solved a major problem with my World War I novel.

(If only Anne could come help with the Spanish flu, wouldn’t that smooth the story? Where did that thought come from? Of course Anne could come!)

Science has shown a link between exercise and creativity. See articles here, here and here.

How?

“Researchers noted that regular exercise seems to be associated with improved divergent and convergent thinking, which are considered the two components of creative thinking; the former involves thinking of multiple solutions for one problem, while the latter involves thinking of one solution for a problem.

“Exercising on a regular basis may thus act as a cognitive enhancer promoting creativity in inexpensive and healthy ways,” study researcher Lorenza Colzato, a cognitive psychology at Leiden University in the Netherlands, said in a statement.”

Why?

According to this article, physiological changes prompt the difference:

“Exercise can literally change your brain to get your creative juices flowing. When you work out, your body flushes out cortisol, the hormone that helps trigger the “fight or flight” response when you’re stressed, and which also shuts down brain functions for creativity and problem-solving, explains Pierce J. Howard, PhD, managing director of research and development at the Center for Applied Cognitive Studies in Charlotte, North Carolina, and author of The Owners Manual for The Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind-Brain Research.

“Meanwhile, your pituitary gland releases endorphins, which can produce the feel-good “runners high.” Exercise also promotes the growth of new nerve cells and synapses through elevating levels of neurotrophins (a chemical that fosters the growth of new nerve endings) and by increasing oxygen in the blood, which helps provide mental energy.”

What type and how much exercise makes you more creative?

Any exercise, and half-an hour is sufficient.

For many years, I walked my dog an hour a day. I don’t know how many scenes I completely figured out–plot, issues, descriptions and even dialogue–particularly on one spot about 30 minutes into the walk.

I could almost anticipate when everything would suddenly make sense.

I then spent the next half an hour clarifying, cleaning up and trying to remember what I’d figured out, as I completed the circuit around the neighborhood!

I went directly to the keyboard as soon as I got in the door from my walk.

(As an additional benefit, the worn out dog then slept the day away and I wasn’t bothered by incessant requests to let her in and out!)

Some researchers contend that a mere half-hour of exercise is enough to spur on hours of creativity.

For me, any amount of movement helps.

So, if you don’t want to do it for your body? Why not consider exercising for your art?

Tweetables

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