The fun of walking
When we think of exercise we think of sports, the typical but structured process of a regular routine. Either where we join other people or work out in the gym on our own. This requires a lot of effort and often doesn’t suit us all.
Instead, think of a simple process: moving more often!
Many of us are far more sedentary than is good for us. If going to a gym or organised sport feels too much of a commitment, aim for something simpler!
Moving more often is easy if you get up and walk. Because we are conditioned to feel being active must involve getting sweaty.
We may undervalue the rewarding benefits of walking.
It’s a very helpful and gratifying thing to do. I’ve been a walker for years and use it as my main form of exercise. Admittedly, the more you do it the fitter you become, and I am well known for walking fast wherever I go! There are several benefits to this:
First, it boosts your circulation and that has multiple advantages. You feel better energized, and yet at the same time more relaxed. This is because your muscles are getting a mild work out and your heart is doing so too. Joint pain is often the result of sitting for long periods which we are all apt to do. Our hip flexors get tight and that can result in knee, hip, and leg stiffness. Stretching these muscles regularly helps us both with strengthening them but also helps so that we can sit back down for long periods of time. This is often necessary as many of us use a desk to work.
Walking regularly is an efficient way of burning calories especially if you take a short walk after you eat. This is when your blood sugar is at its highest so people who are at risk of diabetes have found beneficial effects in managing their blood sugar better through regular walking.
(View full Article here)Your blood pressure is reduced over time because you are pushing yourself and working your heart a little harder. We are all encouraged to take up to 10,000 steps per day now and this is an easy way to do it. Just two x 15-minute walks a day will add up to 6000 steps to your day making it very much easier to top up to the 10,000.
We are encouraged to take 10,000 steps each day
All of us have busy lives these days juggling numerous tasks and pushing ourselves hard. As a result, we may be dealing with difficult situations, or even difficult people, regularly throughout the day. This builds mild to moderate stress and a certain amount of tension. The beauty of walking is that it provides us with an opportunity to get out in the fresh air, creating time-out for ourselves, a change of scene and it dissipates this tension.
Getting out in the sunshine also stimulates a change in brain chemistry for the better and generates the chemical Serotonin, which is the feel-good hormone that makes us feel calmer. Regular shifts in serotonin help us handle the rest of our day when we return to work, so it can be a real advantage to go out for a walk at lunchtime when you take a break so that you can return better energized for the rest of the day.
Another way walking can benefit the body is by enhancing your bone density. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis, having a fracture or injury. Our bones weaken with age, and walking is an easy way to improve stamina, posture, and balance.
(View full article here)Our digestion can be improved as can memory and brain function. Amazingly, the more we walk the more productive and creative we become. Japanese scientists found that in their studies older patients lived longer and had larger, more active brains than their peers who didn’t exercise. Not doing enough exercise shrinks the brain and results in memory loss so it makes sense that more exercise helps us.
Psychologically, there are significant advantages to exercising. If you are predisposed towards mild or moderate anxiety or depression the world can feel a very tough place to be. During Mental Health week as we have this week, we are highlighting this. Many people experience a range of symptoms associated both with stress and depression. Express Medicals Ltd are taking this opportunity to draw attention both to the experience of poor mental health, the provision of health services within a business, and the benefits of undertaking simple ideas you can use that improve your feelings and can be integrated into your everyday life. Walking gives you that kind of solution.
Planning where you walk can be fun too – many places are free such as parks, lakes, or the beach.
The feel-good factor of being by the sea
Although you can walk on your own obviously, it’s also a really easy way to get some time with your family. Your kids can often love or enjoy walking through woods or exploring and you can all benefit by taking a bit of time together and seeing the countryside. Family life can be busy with school runs, homework, and after-school clubs. So enjoying time together can be valuable for relationships and bonding.
I use walking for different reasons as well. Talking about difficult subjects can be difficult when you are face-to-face with somebody. But going out for a walk to talk with them can ease that. I often use this technique with my teenage children. They equally asked me to take a walk when their own struggles needed an outlet.
Walking may be a less intimidating way to tackle some of the big chats you have in life.
This is because your brain can’t pay equal attention to two things at once. So thinking about the troublesome problem while walking may help solving it without getting nervous about it.
It is clear that walking regularly has significant merit and can benefits benefits both physically and mentally. For something so simple that’s a real bonus.
By Sue Firth, Chartered Business Psychologist
