How Regular Walking Can Help Your Body And Mind

How Regular Walking Can Help Your Body And Mind : Sadly, we all have stress to deal with in our lives. Whether that is work related or family related, sometimes the burdens of everyday life can start to get on top of us.

But there are ways to ease the tension and consistent exercise can be hugely beneficial to improving our mental health.

Regular walking is an activity that suits all ages and fitness levels. Here we look at how regular walking can help your body and mind.

The benefits of walking

Whether you are someone who enjoys a quiet meander or more of an intense workout kind of person, there are walking methods and activities to suit all needs.

For instance, power walking is done at the pace of a brisk jog and uses exaggerated arm movements, while chi walking is a form of meditation that helps you control your mind.

Marathon walking is about maintaining a steady pace over a much longer distance where as stroll walking is something to be enjoyed at a much more sedate pace.

There are several places to enjoy walking too, whether on the hills or mountains, the local park, the beach, or even just a wander around town.

If you want to take your walking hobby one step further, why not join a walking group or a walking holiday to help you discover new places?

Walking for the mind

During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, lockdown enforcements meant there were few recreational activities to be enjoyed.

But walking experienced a boom as people sought fresh air to escape the confines of the home, and a 2021 poll suggested 40 per cent of people expected to walk more than pre-pandemic.

Walking obviously has physical health benefits but it can also greatly improve your mental wellbeing and reduce stress and tension, indeed studies suggest even a 20-30 minute walk can help lower the risk of depression as well as aid with physical and mental fatigue.

It can also help to better your mood, improve your memory and increase the chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

Walking for the body

You don’t have to be a gym bunny to stay in shape and regular walking brings plenty of physical advantages.

Walking can help you maintain a healthy weight or lose body fat, improve your cardiovascular fitness, increase muscle endurance, and strengthen your bones and muscles.

It can also be a way to help prevent or manage conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

A study found that brisk walking for two and a half hours per week can help prevent early death caused by lack of sleep, with those who did less exercise and slept badly 57 per cent more likely to die prematurely as opposed to those who exercised more and slept better as a result.