BENEFITS OF WALKING
Walking is a part of our life and day to day activity but it provides huge benefits which help to improve our physical and mental health.
Walking can offer huge health benefits to people of all ages and helps to improve fitness levels. It may also help prevent certain diseases and even prolong your life.
Walking is free to do and easy to fit into your daily routine. Walking plays a huge role to maintain proper body weight and prevent many health issues. All you need to start walking is a sturdy pair of walking shoes.
Walking is one of the effective ways to improve your overall health. Just 30 minutes of walk every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and mental health.
Daily walking reduces your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers. Unlike some other forms of exercise, walking is free and doesn’t require any special equipment, special places like a gym or training.
Walking is also a great form of physical activity for people who are overweight, elderly, or who haven’t exercised in a long time.
Below are some of the super benefits of walking
1. BURN CALORIES
One of the first and best benefits of walking is to burn calories. Burning calories can help you maintain or lose weight. It helps to burn calories developed in your body by eating extra food or food rich in calories.
One of the best super benefits of walking is we can eat whatever we want and can reduce excess calories by walking.
Your actual calorie burn will depend on several factors, including:
- walking speed
- distance covered
- terrain (you’ll burn more calories walking uphill than you’ll burn on a flat surface)
- your weight
2. STRENGTHEN THE HEART
The second super benefit of walking is heart health. Heart diseases or heart attack is one of the major problem faced by many people. Walking at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by about 19 percent and your risk may reduce even more when you increase the duration or distance you walk per day.
3. REDUCES JOINT PAINS
The third super benefit of walking is reduced joint pains. Joint pain is another major problem faced by aged people. Walking can help protect the joints, including your hips and knees. That’s because it helps lubricate and strengthen the muscles that support the joints.
Walking 5 to 6 miles a week may also help prevent arthritis.
4. BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM
Another super benefit of walking at least 60 min a day helps improve the immune system.
The immune system has a vital role: It protects your body from harmful substances, germs, and cell changes that could make you ill. It is made up of various organs, cells, and proteins.
The main task of the body immune system is
- to fight disease-causing germs (pathogens) like viruses, bacteria, parasites or fungi, and to remove them from the body
- to recognize and neutralize harmful substances from the environment
- to fight disease-causing changes in the body, such as cancer cells
Walking may reduce your risk of developing a cold or the flu.
Try to get in a daily walk to boost the immune system. If you live in a cold climate, you can try to walk on a treadmill or around an indoor mall.
5. BOOST YOUR ENERGY
The fifth super benefit of walking is an energy boost. Going for a walk when you’re tired may be a more effective energy boost than grabbing a cup of tea or coffee.
Walking increases oxygen flow through the body. Walking helps in the proper circulation of blood and oxygen in the body. It can also increase levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Those are the hormones that help elevate energy levels.
The sixth super benefit of walking is improved mood. Research shows that regular walking can help improve your mental health. Make a habit of walking in early morning sunlight or in a park with greenery, this will relax your mind and reduces stress, depression, and anxiety. It can also boost self-esteem and reduce symptoms of social withdrawal.
To experience these benefits, aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking or another moderate-intensity exercise three days a week. You can also break it up into three 10-minute walks.
7. EXTEND YOUR LIFE
The seventh super benefit of walking is it extends your life. Regular walking can help to extend your life span. Make walking as your daily routine and increase your life span.
Walking at a faster pace could extend your life span and makes healthier. Researchers found that walking at an average pace compared to a slow pace resulted in a 20 percent reduced risk of overall death caused due to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
8. CREATIVE THINKING
Walking may help clear your head and help you think creatively.
A study that included four experiments compared people trying to think of new ideas while they were walking or sitting. They found participants did better while walking, particularly while walking outdoors.
The researchers concluded that walking opens up a free flow of ideas, innovations, and is a simple and easy way to increase creativity and get physical activity at the same time.
9. IMPROVES DIGESTION
Another effective super benefit of walking is it helps to improve your digestion.
It's always been a suggestion that if you want to help with digestion then you take a quick walk around the block.
Two different types of studies have shown that a post-meal walk can help in digestion. One study conducted in 2008 showed that walking speed the rate at which food moved through the stomach.
Other studies have shown that walking also decreases blood sugar after meals, which decreases cardiovascular risk and potential signal diabetes. Essentially, walking after a meal clears glucose from the bloodstream to lower blood sugar, and helps move food through your digestive system easier.
10. BETTER SLEEP AT NIGHT
Another important benefit of walking is good sleep at night. In other words, you're likely to sleep better when you're more physically active than you tend to be.
If you work out regularly, you know that you'll sleep better at night. That's because sleep naturally boosts the effects of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Walking also helps reduce stress and pain, which can cause sleep disturbances.
Essential steps to improve your health with walking
1. Make walking part of your daily routine
Try to walk at the same time each day and make walking as a part of your routine. Choose a convenient time in a day and make it a habit. You can also walk along with your family members and friends.
It will be more relaxing when you choose an uncrowded place and greenery locations like parks.
2. Making walking interesting
· Listen to your favorite music while walking. This gives you the pleasure to walk and you can enjoy walking.
· If you feel unsafe walking alone, find one or more family members or friends to walk with.
· Walking near the most beautiful places will give you the best nature view and it improves your mood.
· Drive to different reserves, park the car, and enjoy the views while you walk.
· Explore what’s going on around you, notice the sky, the people, the sounds, the surroundings, etc.
Another important step to do while walking is to use a pedometer. Pedometer records the number of steps you have walked and displays them along with the number of calories that you have burned, distance, walking time, and speed per hour.
Using a pedometer can help you to track your steps and miles, this also helps to keep you motivated and provides you easy information on steps and distance.
4. Safety suggestions while walking
Walking is generally a safe way to exercise, but look out for unexpected hazards. Suggestions include:
· See your doctor for a medical check-up before starting any new fitness program, particularly if you are aged over 40 years, are overweight or haven’t exercised in a long time.
Warm-up and cool down with a slow, gentle walk to ease in and out of your exercise session.
· Wear comfortable clothing, and appropriate footwear to avoid burning sensation in foot and shin splints.
· Wear sunscreen, long sleeves, sunglasses, and a hat to avoid sunburn.
· Carry waterproof clothing to avoid getting wet if it rains.
· Before going to walk, check the weather forecast and take appropriate safety measures (for example, pack correct clothing).
· Drink plenty of water or fluids before and after your walk. If you are taking a long walk, take water with you.
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