There’s no better therapy for a bad mood or being stuck in a rut than walking. Something is rewarding about getting up and having a long walk. It helps you to be proactive in lifting your mood and mindset.

I love going for walks alone near my local National Park, just myself, my music, and my thoughts. Some of my friends think this is strange. However, it’s a great way to gather your thoughts, control your emotions, and step back and see things objectively.

It’s great for clearing your mind and problem-solving, as well as the obvious physical benefits on your overall health. There are no negatives to walking! It’s free, it gives you exercise, and helps with your mental health. Furthermore, it gives you time on your own to improve your resilience and control your emotions.

However, it can also be sociable and fun to enjoy a walk with friends. It also helps you to manage your weight as well, so, what’s not to love!?

Mental Health Benefits

Walking is an amazing tool for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. It releases endorphins which help to boost your mood and make you happier. There’s something therapeutic about being out in the fresh air and taking in nature around you. It also increases your intake of vitamin D which is proven to improve your mood.

It’s important to have time to think on your own without any distractions and walking is proven to boost your creative thinking as well. Being able to reflect on your thoughts alone and work through any issues you may have, helps to boost your confidence and self-esteem too.

It also helps to clear your mind of things that have been bothering you and you can start to let go of things that negatively impact your thoughts. Being able to tackle issues that have been playing on your mind and coming up with positive solutions, provides a great sense of emotional and mental satisfaction.

It’s a great way to de-stress, enjoy the simple things in life, and work out what is important to you. Furthermore, studies have also shown that people who walk regularly have a slower rate of mental decline.

Health Benefits

Walking has numerous benefits for your overall health and well-being. It helps to lower your blood pressure, reduces the risk of some cancers, and helps to reduce the risk of diabetes. It’s a great way to ease joint pain, as it helps to lubricate and strengthen the muscles that support them and helps you to maintain strong joints and bones.

It is great for your heart, as it reduces the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. It also improves your energy levels and breathing, as well as increasing your metabolism. It’s great for strengthening your immune system, which means you have less chance of catching colds and other illnesses.

Walking regularly lowers your chance of having a stroke, and lowers your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It gets your blood flowing and increases brain power, which makes you think and work better, as it increases the supply of blood to the brain. 

There’s more great information on Bupa and Healthline about all the health benefits that walking can achieve.

Walk for Fitness

People who walk regularly will see a positive impact on their fitness levels. After all, it is a great form of exercise and helps to build your aerobic fitness. The more effort you put in and the more challenging the walk (power-walking/uphill) the more calories you will burn and this will help with your weight management.

It’s a great way to get active and it’s accessible at any time, wherever you are. It is an excellent way to help tone your leg muscles and is a low-impact exercise that helps to get your entire body moving.

If you aren’t used to regular exercise, walking is a good place to start on your fitness journey, as it isn’t as vigorous as other exercises, which means there is less chance of injury. It’s also enjoyable, as you can take in the scenery around you and listen to music, which if you don’t like exercising, is a great distraction.

Other Benefits

The great thing about walking is… everything! It doesn’t cost you anything, there’s no equipment needed or gym fees and it’s accessible to everyone at any time. You can just get up and go whenever it suits you, which makes it one of the most convenient types of exercise available.

It helps you to get out and about around your local area which is great for discovering new places you’ve never ventured to before. You will also get fresh air which instantly lifts your mood and energy levels. What’s not to like!? It’s great to take in nature and appreciate the present moment by yourself. However, you can make your walks sociable by going with a friend or joining a local walking group.

It not only improves your mental state, fitness levels, and overall health but ditching your car or public transport when possible is great for the environment too.

There are loads of simple ways you can add more walking time to your everyday life…

• Take the stairs instead of the lift
• Get off public transport one stop earlier
• Stretch your legs on your lunch break at work
• Take a stroll to your local shop instead of taking the car
• Use a step app which will help encourage you to do more steps

“Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts”– Soren Kierkegaard

Summary

If you start walking regularly you will improve several areas of your life and become more energetic and positive. It will help you with your weight management, mental health and fitness. Why not try adding more walking into your daily routine and see how it helps to boost your mood and energy levels.

“A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world”– Paul Dudley White

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