Can you walk your way to good health? The answer is undoubtedly yes, but it requires discipline to drag oneself out of the house every day! The benefits of this great exercise are not just limited to reducing weight. We will get right into the details through this article.
Let us get into the theory first! Research shows that walking is the best exercise you need to keep your body healthy. Including a brisk walk in your daily routine prevents heart-related diseases, strengthens the immune system, and reduces mental stress. Too much for something as simple as a walk, right?
The best thing is that you can do it anywhere and anytime without expert supervision. Walking in nature trails keeps your heart healthy both biologically and emotionally. Consider walking as your little me time away from the busy hustle of everyday life.
Unlike other ways to exercise, walking doesn’t require any special equipment or training as you can just lace up your shoes and get started. You can go to your terrace, the local park, or walk on the road during the morning when there is less traffic. Music lovers can put on their favorite song on the earphones and get going their way to glory.
Without much ado, let’s discuss other health benefits of walking and why it should be an essential part of your daily routine.
Best Cardio
Brisk walking is the best cardio exercise that you can do anywhere, anytime, without special equipment or a trainer. A brisk walk boosts your cardiovascular fitness as it makes your heart pump faster and transfer oxygen-rich blood more efficiently.
To get the maximum benefit out of the ‘walking cardio’, you can try to walk daily at least for 10 minutes. You can walk on flat terrains for a start, and as you build stamina and if you have access, you can start walking up hills.
Reduces Stress and Elevates Mood
Our mind is wonderful but feels the most terrible when bogged down. Walking indeed improves your physical health, but it also has prominent benefits for your mental health. Not many people know that walking helps in reducing stress and improving mood.
Walking releases endorphins that regulate emotions in the human body, helps in calming anxiety, and reduces stress. According to a study, people who walk 30-minutes in a green space experience less anxiety, stress and have fewer negative thoughts.
Better Sleep
If you keep struggling for sleep, you now know what to do about it! Daily exercise improves your sleep pattern and boosts melatonin, a sleep hormone. Multiple studies show that walking daily also improves the quality of sleep you get. Experts say that a moderate-intensity walk everyday improves the sleep cycle and helps relieve insomnia.
Boosts up the Brain Power
If you want to be an intelligent person, try brisk walking! Researchers say it boosts your brainpower and improves memory power and decision-making. Brisk walking is also helpful in discarding brain fog and improves blood flow by increasing the oxygen levels in the brain.
Reduces Joint Pains
Joint Pains suck, right? Walking at a slow to moderate pace is a low-impact workout that improves the blood circulation in the cartilage, which lubricates the joints. Hence, it relieves the pain and any stiffness in the joints.
Arthritis patients have reported fewer joint pains and lowered fatigue when walking regularly. People with arthritis cannot do strenuous exercises, and therefore walking is typically the best option to provide the motion their body needs. Not only does it help in relieving pain, but it also regulates body weight.
Effective for Fat Loss
Fat loss is one common dream everybody has! If you include 30-minutes of brisk walking in your daily routine, it may help to burn 150 calories more than one usually does. That is why walking helps in weight control by burning extra calories.
Losing weight is also dependent on how regular you are in your walking routine and the walking intensity. But you should never overdo it for losing fat as it can cause sore muscles or injury. You can start your weight loss journey with a low-intensity walking routine and gradually build up your stamina for vigorous workouts.
Prevents Chronic Disease
Walking as your daily routine is your first step on the road to a healthier life. It is a proven fact that people who do regular physical exercise are less prone to chronic diseases like heart diseases, depression, diabetes and strokes. And walking is the best low-intensity workout for people of all age groups.
Walking helps in lowering glucose and insulin resistance in the blood, as discussed earlier, helps to maintain body weight which is a preventive measure against many chronic diseases. Studies show that people with a walking routine have 30% less risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Improves Metabolism and Immune System
A good walking routine will save you from immunity-related diseases like cold or flu. Walking boosts the white blood cell count, strengthening the immune system. According to experimental medicine studies, even a 5-minute brisk walk can increase the count of white blood cells in the blood.
Guess what. You no longer need leaves for sick days with a healthy immune system. Better spend your leave balance on vacation to your choicest destination!
Cardiovascular exercise like walking also helps stimulate metabolism and maintain a good appetite. You can expect to see the effects gradually, so patience is needed to be successful.
Extends Life Expectancy
According to researchers, people who walk daily for 10 to 59 minutes, live more than those who don’t. Another research shows that people with multiple chronic conditions could increase their life expectancy by three years with as little as ten minutes of brisk walking a day.
So get yourself the earphones, the gym attire, and whatever related paraphernalia you need, and enjoy the benefits of this fantastic workout, absolutely free of cost!