April 6th, 2022 is national walking day. So, in honor of this national holiday, I will be discussing some of the benefits of walking.
Physical Health
According to the Mayo Clinic, walking is a great way to stay in shape as well as “Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.” Walking is a great low-stress aerobic exercise that requires no special gear (other than maybe a nice pair of walking shoes) and can get you outside.
I live in Minnesota, which means walking outside isn’t always an option the entire year, but gym memberships are an option, and even taking the time to walk around a store is another option––anything that gets you up on your feet and moving around!
This article from the Mayo Clinic also suggests what prep you should do before walking and some tips for staying motivated:
Stress management
Another benefit of walking is stress management. According to an article from North Dakota State University titled “Walking Can Help Relieve Stress,” walking can reduce stress and increase endorphins. They state that walking helps them “focus on their steps instead of thinking about other concerns,” and that walking can also be a form of meditation. Walking can take the focus off of stress, worries, and everyday life and give you time to exist free of those things. There are many mental health benefits of walking, but the main takeaway is that it doesn’t matter the speed or the distance that you are walking, it’s simply getting out of your usual routine and taking the time to just walk and nothing else.
Here is the article that I mentioned if you are interested in some of the extra steps you can take to make your walk as beneficial as possible.
Spending time outsideThe last, but my personal favorite benefit of walking outside, is just getting to spend that time outside. An article from the Harvard Medical School discussed five benefits to getting outside and getting some fresh air. Five benefits are increased vitamin D levels, more exercise, more happiness, improved concentration, and some studies suggest that you will heal faster. These benefits paired with the ones that walking itself has made walking outside (when the weather allows) the best way to get the most out of your walking.
Here is the article from the Harvard Medical school if you are interested in learning more about these benefits:
So, how will you be celebrating April 6th? I know that I will be taking a walk over to my local park and hopefully getting to see the beautiful southern Minnesota scenery.