The science of walking gets little attention from mainstream health professionals but the benefits for most people are significant. According to Harvard Medical journal "exercising starts a biological cascade of events that results in many health benefits, such as protecting against heart disease and diabetes, improving sleep, and lowering blood pressure."Whether you are young or old, a simple walk may help alleviate physical and emotional problems and improve your mood and cognitive functioning.
There is little doubt that many of us have become increasingly sedentary. We drive to the store, take the elevator, sit for long hours at a desk at work, and then sit some more when we get home in front of the television. We all know that we need more exercise. Many people equate exercise with going to the gym, lifting weights, or spending hours on a stationary bicycle.
A Simple Walk
Going to a gym will undoubtedly be part of that transformation process if you want to make dramatic physical changes to your body. However, a simple walk can be all you need to feel better, both physically and mentally.
Walking improves self-perception and self-esteem, mood, and sleep quality, reducing stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Physically active people have up to a 30% reduced risk of becoming depressed, and staying active helps those who are depressed recover. recent studies have shown that regular exercise is as effective as anti-depressants.
In older people, staying active can improve cognitive function, memory, attention, and processing speed and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
"Walking has always been there for me, my confidence has grown immensely. I'm a totally different person now than I was ten years ago and I owe so much of that to walking."
Kath, walker with bipolar disorder
The physical improvements you gain by walking can help to improve your mental health too. If you feel fitter and feel in control of your weight, your body image and confidence can increase - so it's not just the physical benefits that you'll notice when you start walking.
Many of my clients have learned to pause and take a walk when faced with a stressful situation. Walking helps them get their bearings and make more rational decisions.
