Benefits Of Walking

Table of Content

Why is Walking the first step to better health?

A recent survey reports that the average American spends at least two hours daily lounging on their sofa of choice. More shocking is that 61% of respondents admitted their sofa had become their “new best friend” since COVID-19.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some time on your sofa, but it’s imperative for everyone, both adults and kids, to move around and get some physical exercise.

Something simple as taking a walk can help you keep many illnesses at bay. These diseases include diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. WHO has listed walking as one disease prevention activity to fend off such diseases.

Anyone can enjoy walking. It is easy and inexpensive–doesn’t require you to pay for any gym membership or invest in expensive equipment. You also don’t need to spend a lot of hours walking. Something as simple as 10 minutes a walk in your office or house can help you improve your health tremendously.

This article will show you how walking for as little as 10 minutes a day can help you improve your mental and physical health.

10 Benefits of Walking

1.Improve Circulation

Walking improves your body’s circulation by increasing your heart rate, oxygen intake, and blood flow. The oxygenated blood is transported to different body parts, like the brain, where it nourishes the brain and improves brain function, while the rest goes to other parts of the body, like legs and hands, to help with body coordination.

Also, the increased blood flow and oxygen supplied from exercise allow the body to clean itself and eliminate waste. The body can send blood containing carbon dioxide to the lungs, which is then expelled from the body when we breathe out, and to get clean blood with oxygen which is then conveyed to the rest of the body through blood vessels.

2. Strengthen immune system and increase energy levels

Walking will enable you to battle colds during winter and flu season. According to research, 1,000 individuals participated in circle walking, during which participants walked for no more than 20 minutes a day for five days a week, and the participants’ weekly absence from work was 43% fewer than those who only participated in circle walking once a week. And in a situation where they got sick, the time it took for them to recover was relatively shorter, and their symptoms were milder.

Researchers found that people who are involved in regular physical activities are less likely to suffer from respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, cough, or running nose.

Another study found that adults who exercised a minimum of three days a week were 26% less likely to get a cold over a year.

Physical activity increases the number of white blood cells circulating in the system. These cells help the body fend off infections and other illnesses as part of the body’s immune system. Doing any form of physical activity for as little as 30 minutes a day can boost your body’s energy and stimulate immune cells’ regular regeneration. The more you move, the better you prepare your body to fight off pathogens. Exercising regularly can help prevent colds, flu-like infections, and other immune-related illnesses.

3. Improves Mental Health

Unlike sedentary people who are easily affected by depression, stress, and anxiety, a person who chooses to be involved in physical activities protects their mental health.

When doing exercises like brisk walking or weight lifting, your body releases endorphin hormones, popularly known as feel-good hormones. This hormone changes your mood and makes you feel good and happier.

Another study by Karmel Choi found walking makes people happy and confident about themselves. The study discovered that people become happier and more confident about themselves after seeing their progress. Achieving goals like weight loss, building body endurance, and toned muscles gave them confidence that they could achieve anything if they chose it.

People who opt to take nature walks alone or with a friend are less stressed than those who don’t do any physical activities. Nature walks help you feel refreshed, improve your mood and develop helpful practices such as mindfulness and gratitude.

Also, when you take a nature walk, you can calm and clear your mind from all the thoughts and worries that bother you and focus on enjoying the moment. A nature walk is even better when you do it with someone else. Talking, laughing, and brainstorming ideas with someone else can take your mind off things and make you not feel lonely and depressed.

Another best reward about taking a walk is that you can sleep well at night. Long will be the days when you have insomnia and keep tossing and turning in bed. With exercise, you will be able to sleep well and give the body enough time to recover and wake up the next day feeling refreshed, full of energy, clear-headed, and able to think.

4. Weight Management

Would you like to lose weight? Research found that taking 30 minutes of brisk walking can help you burn up to 200 calories. The modern lifestyle has allowed us to spend most of the time sitting. We sit in the office and at home watching TV, leading to high levels of obesity among kids and adults.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that adults and kids be physically active daily. Taking a walk, either in the form of a short 10 minutes walk between work or watching TV or one long walk of 30 minutes and above, can help improve cardiovascular activities and reduce cholesterol levels and thus reduce obesity in both kids and adults.

Walking can also help burn belly fat which is often associated with Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. You also tighten the abdominal muscles and engage the core muscles. Engaging the core helps you correct your posture, tone your midsection and burn the fat under the skin.

It is often harder to maintain weight than regain the weight you have already lost. The best way to keep your weight in check and not put all the hard work you have used to lose the waist to waste is by taking long walks daily to burn off excess calories and ensure you always stay in shape.

5. Improves Longevity

Another great benefit of daily walking is that you can live longer and slow down aging. Research held at the Department of Epidemiology by Havard professor I-Min Lee found that older women who walked at least 4,400 steps every day had greater longevity than those who walked less.

Another study found that people who did 10 to 59 minutes of moderate exercise per week had an 18% lower risk of cardiovascular diseases and death than inactive ones. Meanwhile, people who completed the recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise in at least 10-minute spurts had a 31% lower risk of death.

6. Strengthen bones and muscles and reduces the joint pain

Researchers found that people who are involved in regular physical activities are less likely to suffer from respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, cough, or running nose.

Another study found that adults who exercised a minimum of three days a week were 26% less likely to get a cold over a year.

7. Improve Cardiovascular Fitness

Daily walking helps strengthen your cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. When engaging in physical activity like brisk walking, your heart and lungs work harder to supply your body with enough oxygen, thus strengthening the heart and lung muscles.

Sedentary people are at a high risk of heart disease and stroke because of their high cholesterol levels. High cholesterol makes it difficult for the blood vessels to supply blood to the heart arteries, weakening the heart muscles and making it hard for the heart to pump blood.

High cholesterol lets fatty deposits develop in the blood vessels. These deposits can suddenly break and form clots that cause a heart attack or stroke. Taking the time to walk daily can rectify the situation because when you walk, you burn excess fat and allow the blood to flow easily to the arteries and the heart to pump blood efficiently.

8. Reduce Inflammation

Two types of Inflammation can happen to the body:

Acute Inflammation happens when the body sends white blood cells and other antibodies to treat bacteria and viruses caused by sudden damage to the body. This damage involved can be a finger or sore throat and is treated within a short time.

Chronic Inflammation happens when the body treats normal tissues as infected and sends antibodies to fight them over a long time.

The body fights against itself over a long period, causing the body to be vulnerable to diseases and damage to the healthy tissues and organs. The damaged tissues and organs can lead to deadly diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s.

Physical exercise can help manage and, in some cases, reverse chronic Inflammation. The University of California San Diego School of Medicine did a study and found out that spending at least 20 minutes on the treadmill can produce anti-inflammation and reduce the number of stimulated cells by five percent.

9. Lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

The University of Virginia Health department studied men between 71 and 91 years of age to determine how walking affects the brain. They had two groups; one group walked while the other did not do any form of physical activity. They found that half of the men who walked at least a quarter a mile per day had fewer incidents of dementia and Alzheimers.

Another study found that older people who walk at least two hours per week had improved and higher MMSE scores. This shows you how regularly participating in physical activities helps supply your brain with oxygen and nutrients used to stimulate cell growth in the hippocampus part of the brain responsible for memory and focus, improve brain performance and prevent degeneration.

10. Stimulate your digestive system and help with the constipation

Did you know that walking can help you the next time you struggle to make that call? Irregularity isn’t something most of us want to talk about, let alone cope with. But it’s often caused by sluggish circulation and undertone core muscles.

Walking engages your ab and other core muscles. These help your interior muscles pass food along your digestive system, turning it into fuel and waste more efficiently and allowing for an easy flow of bile and fluid throughout your digestive system.

Tara Alaichamy, D.P.T., the manager of rehabilitation services at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, says a regular walking routine can significantly improve your bowel movements. “Abdominal patients are required to walk because it utilizes core and abdominal muscles, encouraging movement in our GI system.”

2. How to get started with walking?

Before starting any form of exercise, always seek advice from your Health and Wellness Coach or doctor, especially if you are diagnosed with chronic inflammation. You want to ensure that the training is tailored to you and that you don’t end up hurting your body.

As in any form of program, it is always best to start slow. Give time for your body to adjust before going miles at a go. You can start with 10 minutes of walking and increase gradually. Most healthy people are advised to at least walk 30 minutes a day for five days and increase pace and distance as time passes.

Take the time to invest in proper walking gear. The right shoes protect your knees, soles, and legs against long-term and short-term injuries. Get comfortable shoes with high heels to act as the shock absorber and cushion your legs when walking.

Last but not least, this might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to always listen to your body. When you notice a sudden increase in swelling, body pain, or your body is unstable, stop and seek advice from your doctor. It is crucial to care for your health, and sometimes stopping yourself from doing something can be the thing you need to take care of yourself.