Walking is one of the most well known forms of physical activity, it is sustainable, accessible and also saves the money for our monthly gym subscription, you just need yourself and your walking shoes and you’re good to go. While you must have heard of the multiple benefits of walking for your health, here are 6 surprising health benefits of walking for a healthier and happier you.
Table of Contents
6 Health Benefits of Walking
Cardiovascular Wellness
This low impact and simple form of exercise can have some very incredible effects on your body, one of them is improving your Cardiovascular health. It promotes a healthy heart, it gets your heart rate up and strengthens the heart, helping it pump blood more efficiently. This contributes to a lower risk of heart diseases like coronary artery disease, which hampers the heart’s major blood vessels and also reduces the chances of a heart stroke. It helps control high blood pressure and improves overall blood circulation. 30 minutes of daily walks, when incorporated into your regular routine can go a long way to securing your heart health.
Weight management
Managing a healthy body weight is very necessary for overall well being, well, walking can help you do that. It burns a lot of calories and also increases metabolism, two of the greatest factors that contribute to our weight. While not all of us like to engage in high impact exercises, this low impact and simple form of exercise can come to your help, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight without overly stressing our bodies. It also prevents unhealthy weight gain and can contribute to weight loss, when paired with a balanced diet. Incorporating moderate intensity walks into your exercise routine can help weight management.
Improved Mental Health
Mental health is one of the top priorities on the journey to a healthier and happier you. Walking has been proven to have multiple benefits for your mind, releasing Endorphins which are your body’s natural mood lifters. So it is true that walking does make you happy. Taking a leisurely stroll in fresh air can be a great way to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Fresh air and exposure to nature has a calming effect on the mind, an improved mental health contributes to overall well-being.
Enhanced Joint Health
Walking is a very gentle and low impact exercise and that can help make your joints happy. Joint health is very important for our movement, healthy joints keep us agile and fit. Unlike the high impact exercises that can be stressful for your joints, walking is gentle on them. All of this makes it the ideal exercise for all age groups from children to the old. It helps lubricate the joints and can take the edge off joint pains that are caused by Arthritis. It contributes to improved joint flexibility, strengthens the muscle around joints and also reduces the risk of osteoporosis, a condition that causes the weakening of bones.
Digestive Health
A healthy gut is your way to a healthy life. Walking promotes a healthy digestive system and regulates bowel movements, reducing the risk of constipation and thus adding to a healthy gut. The motion of walking stimulates the muscles in our abdomen area, which in turn leads to a better digestion. Good digestion is very crucial for a healthy life and thus a leisurely stroll can be really beneficial for you.
Enhanced Longevity
When our elders said that walking can add years to our life, well they weren’t lying. Scientific study shows that individuals who engage themselves in regular physical activities, actually tend to live longer. Walking can be your key to living a longer and healthier life, reducing the risk of chronic diseases that affect our body, improving mental health and enhancing overall fitness.
Coming to a conclusion, this low impact, simple exercise is actually a low-risk and high-reward activity. The benefits of walking extend itself from cardiovascular wellness to mental health. Incorporating walking into your daily routine can provide a wide range of benefits to your life, and can be your partner on your journey to building a happier and healthier you.
