When the hot girl walk trend started, I got on it almost immediately. I have always been a fan of walks, especially during the summer. (What’s not to love about getting both your daily dose of cardio, well-needed vitamin D, and a tan?) So when I heard about the “micro-walking” trend, I got excited.
A micro-walk is exactly what it sounds like: a short walk that lasts between five and 30 minutes. Essentially, the point of these micro-walks is to add activity to your day in small doses — and the mental health benefits are real. “Even a short walk can help lower cortisol levels — aka the stress hormone — and activate the parasympathetic nervous system — your ‘rest and digest’ mode,” Linda Xu, Founder and CEO of Huā Wellness, tells Her Campus. “These factors help you feel calmer and more focused within minutes. There can also be an immediate mood improvement from dopamine and serotonin release, especially if you’re walking outdoors and the weather is nice!”
Micro-walks are also great for supporting other areas of the body as well. “Consistent daily walks will reduce your baseline cortisol levels, improve sleep quality, support heart health, and build your resilience to stress over time,” Xu says. “Even though it feels small, these habits, when practiced consistently, can have quite a compounded effect, in the best way.”
It doesn’t take long for people to notice the effects of taking walks. “Most people can notice mood and energy improvements within a few days,” Xu said. “In terms of tangible changes in stress and sleep markers, that can take up to two to four weeks of consistency to show up. But that’s a low lift if you think about it in the grand scheme of things!”
Given the popularity of micro-walks on social media, and the benefits associated with daily movement, I wanted to see what the hype was about. So, I took micro-walks every day to see how I felt — and, spoiler alert, I’m definitely a fan.
Day One
Having PMDD is something that has affected my mental health throughout the years; Saturday was one of those days I woke up feeling irritated and moody for no reason. To try to soothe myself, I ended up taking a short 20-minute micro-walk around my usual walking spot, a lake. I found that doing this really helped me feel more regulated and calmed me down a lot.
Day Two
Sunday was one of those days I wanted to stay in bed way longer than I should. I decided to take a 10-minute micro-walk in the morning to jump-start my day instead. I took a quick lap around my neighborhood and found that doing so gave me the boost of energy I needed to get through my day. The rest of Sunday was spent being productive and locked in.
Day Three
I saw being on campus as a good opportunity to try to take more micro-walks throughout my day. My first one was five minutes and was to a nearby coffee shop to grab a drink before my 10 a.m., and a second one, 10 minutes, was to my favorite outdoor study spot, the turtle pond. I took another micro-walk here and there between study sessions because both my campus and the weather were so beautiful. I found that doing these micro-walks really helped me get more activity on the days I normally spend studying and being sedentary.
Day Four
The end of the semester has been stressing me out lately, so to decompress, I took a walk around my favorite lake again. The 20-minute-long walk helped me decompress and reflect on the things that were going on in my life. I also felt better just being able to see the sunset, and being able to enjoy the cooler spring weather Texas has been getting.
Day Five
After classes, my girlfriend picked me up from campus, and we made a stop at a nice park downtown to take a walk together. I was having a pretty rough day with my anxiety and mood swings, and I found that being outside and walking really helped with that. I’m glad that I was able to feel better, and that my girlfriend and I were able to spend time together doing something good for us.
After five days, I honestly saw the mental benefits of micro-walks. This week was pretty heavy for me, and taking those short walks gave me a kind of relief I didn’t realize I needed: Stepping outside, even for a few minutes, helped me clear my head and slow down the constant mental noise.
Instead of sitting in my stress, the micro-walks gave me a moment to breathe, reset, and come back to my tasks feeling a little lighter. They helped me stay more regulated, less overwhelmed, and more present. Even on the tougher days, those small breaks made everything feel a bit more manageable. Because of that, I’d definitely recommend taking more throughout the day — the mental clarity and emotional relief alone make it worth it.