10 Reasons to Go On a Walk

It’s no surprise that walking is one of the best and most accessible forms of exercise on the planet. It’s easy to fit walking into your schedule, even when you’re pressed for time. Other than a comfortable pair of sneakers and the willingness to put one foot in front of the other, you don't need any particular equipment or training. 

Let's explore some of the impressive benefits of walking and why you should go on a walk today: 

1. You’ll help strengthen your bones: Walking is a weight-bearing exercise that strengthens and maintains strong bones.1 Additionally, it improves your muscle strength, coordination, and balance, all of which help you avoid falls and fractures.2
2. You’ll improve your mood: Walking has been shown to improve your mood by releasing endorphins, your body's natural happy hormones. Research shows that walking may even help to improve depression as well.3 
3. To help lower your blood pressure: It’s been proven that regular walkers have lower blood pressure than non-exercisers.4 
4. To help improve your sleep: Walking helps improve the quality of your sleep and keeps you energized when you’re awake. This is because walking lowers stress levels and improves our circulation, leading to a more restful and relaxed mind and body at the end of the day.5
5. You’ll keep your brain sharp: A short stroll can help relieve mental exhaustion, boost memory, and potentially prevent Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive conditions. According to the 2014 World Alzheimer’s Report, regular exercise is one of the best ways to combat the onset and advancement of the disease as well.6 
6. You can help prevent or control diabetes: Walking can aid in the prevention, slowing, or reversal of diabetes. Just 20-30 minutes of walking per day–especially after meals–can help reduce blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours.7 
7. To manage your weight or lose weight: Avoiding weight gain might be as simple as taking a walk. Some people believe that you have to do intense workouts in order to lose weight, but this is not the case! 
8. You’ll have more energy: Did you know that going for a walk when you're tired may be a more effective energy boost than grabbing a cup of coffee?8 Walking enhances the flow of oxygen throughout the body. It can also raise cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine levels which are the hormones that help you feel more energized.3
9. You’ll get more vitamin D: Vitamin D is best absorbed through sun exposure. Aim for 10–30 minutes of sunshine in the afternoon several times per week to maintain appropriate blood levels.9 Vitamin D helps your body to build and maintain healthy bones, supports immune, brain, and nervous system health, brain cell activity, etc.10 
10. To lower your risk of heart disease: According to the American Heart Association, walking just 30 minutes per day can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.11 And since regular walking can keep cholesterol and blood pressure in check, it is a great way to boost your overall heart health.

Whether it's sneaking in ten minutes a few times a day or taking a long walk once per day, the benefits of walking are pretty amazing for your health! If you’re not used to walking, start slow at 10 minutes per day and increase the time as you become more comfortable. 

References: 

1. Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health. (2021, May 19). Mayo Clinic.
2. Exercise and bone health - OrthoInfo - AAOS. Aaos.Org. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
3. Chertoff, J. (2018, November 8). 10 benefits of walking, plus safety tips and more. Healthline. 
4. Wellness Team. (2020, December 21). 5 excellent reasons you should take a walk today. Cleveland Clinic.
5. 10 great reasons to walk. Yeshealth.Com. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
6. Alzheimer’s Disease International, Albanese, E., Guerchet, M., Prince, M., & Prina, M. (2014). World Alzheimer Report 2014: Dementia and risk reduction: An analysis of protective and modifiable risk factors.
7. Rice, S. C. (2013, June 12). A short walk after meals is all it takes to lower blood sugar. Healthline Media.
8. The Benefits of Starting Your Day with a Walk. Healthline.Com. Retrieved April 8, 2022. 
9. Raman, R., MS, & RD. (2020, November 14). Supplements 101: Vitamin D.
10. Ware, M., RDN, & L.D. (2019, November 7). Vitamin D: Benefits, deficiency, sources, and dosage.
11. Fit in walking morning, noon or night. (n.d.). Www.Heart.Org. Retrieved April 8, 2022.