Awe walks reduced pain in 75+ year olds
A study on awe walks found that elderly people aged 75 and older who took mindful awe-oriented walks felt less physical pain in their bodies.
Snapshot · The Mel Robbins Podcast
Feeling Lost or Behind in Life? The #1 Happiness Expert Explains How to Find Your Purpose
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Jul 13, 2026
Where this was said
The Awe Walk: A Research-Backed Brain Health Practice
At 1:06:37 · chapter starts 1:02:40
Building on humanity's deep heritage as a walking species, Dr. Keltner describes the awe walk study he conducted with neuroscientist Virginia Sturm. Participants in the control condition simply enjoyed their regular walk; those in the awe walk condition were instructed to look around consciously — from tiny details like bark patterns or raindrops to vast panoramas like cloud formations or open skies — and to seek places and objects that triggered childlike wonder. The results were striking: elderly participants aged 75 and older reported less physical pain, and a paper currently under review shows greater brain health six years after the practice. Mel adds her own variation — she hunts for naturally occurring heart shapes on every walk — and Dr. Keltner endorses the twist as a textbook application of his research. He even does awe walks in airports to manage flight anxiety, proving the practice is location-independent and stress-adaptive.
The Awe Walk: Turning Any Stroll Into a Brain-Health Practice
Adding a simple awe-orientation to your regular walk — noticing small and vast details, seeking childlike wonder — reduced physical pain in adults aged 75+ and is linked to greater brain health six years later. You can start today, anywhere, for free.
Awe walk linked to greater brain health 6 years later
A paper under review showed that people who practiced awe walks demonstrated greater brain health six years later, suggesting long-term cognitive benefits.
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