9 Health Benefits Of Walking

Walking, it’s something we’ve done since being able to stand upright as toddlers.  Although many of us are health conscious we still aware all the incredeble benefits of walking.

For most of us our fitness plans begin and end on a gym membership. We think it's obvious a gym has all the machines and free weights required to lose weight, build muscles, and simply boost your overall health.

The simplest, and most natural, workout of them all is a regular walk out in nature. Which can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, calm the mind, and make you feel better. The best part about walking is you don't have to spend hours to get all those benifits.

As little as 15-30 minutes of walking every day will not only improve your overall appearance, but health as well. A simple morning walk can lower the risk of blood clots, reducing the load on the heart, loss weight, uplift your mood and Improve overall health.

In fact some studies have also shown that a regular walk could be the only aerobic exercise you need to keep your heart and lungs healthy.  [1]

Another best thing about walking is you don't need to pay for a membership, all you simply need is a good pair of walking shoes and a nearby open area, such as a park or walking track.

Read on to learn about some of the benefits of walking.

1. Improve Your Mood 

Morning walks are a sort of a brain-drain or a mental de-cluttering exercise too. if you are stressed with your daily life, spending some time in nature can be a best option to improve your mood.

The whiff of fresh air, sunshine, and quiet outdoors will help you connect with your inner self will help you develop mindfulness. It will also help to boost your creativity by 50%. No wonder why most of the artist find there inspiration in nature.

Morning sunshine will  also helps to improve levels of Vitamin D, which is a vital nutrient for the human body and makes you feel good about your physical health.

Some studies have also shown to help reduce anxiety, depression, and a negative mood. It can also boost self-esteem and reduce symptoms of social withdrawal. [2]

2. Burn Calories

All forms of exercise help burn calories, right?  But here's a twist, you burn twice the amount of calories when you walk then doing cardio in gym. A 30-minute of morning walk can burns approximately 200 calories.

According to Harvard Health, it is important to understand that the calories you burn depend more the distance you cover rather than your pace, [3]

The benefits of walking is not  just extend to merely losing weight, but it also reduces your waist size and circumference too, giving you that fine body you’ve always dreamed of. we recommend you, at least at the beginning, to practice walking as soon as you wake up.

Also Read: 6 delicious smoothies for weight loss.

3. Extend Your Life

Every one want to live a longer life but these changing trends have created a dis  balance in our daily life. However there is something you can do to extend your life. That is simply by taking a walk daily.

A study followed by 1,000 adults participants (aged above 50) for 21 years. Found that participants who were runners tend to live longer than those who don’t perform this form of exercise regularly. [4]

In an another research it was found that walking at an average pace compared to a slow pace resulted in a 20 percent reduced risk of overall death. [5]

 

The American Heart Association recommends that individuals get about 150 minutes of walking a week, which comes to just over 20 minutes a day. [6]

4. Boost Your Energy  Level

A 30 minutes of walk will keep you active through the day, so you don't have to look at the clock and think about your couch. A simple brisk walking can overall give the energy boost.

Moreover researches also suggest that walking and other types of physical exercise have been shown to increase the amount of (BDNF) a type of protein found in the brain, called brain derived neurotrophic factor. [7]

A regular walk can boost circulation and increases oxygen supply to each and every cell in the body, helping you feel more alert and alive. Take a morning walk next time and give yourself the chance to feel more energetic throughout the day.

5. Strengthen The Heart 

Walking is one of the best form of aerobic exercise that is one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve your health.

A brisk morning walk can elevate your heart rate, your organs circulate blood better and pump oxygen to the heart due to increasing demand. According to Arthritis Foundation walking can do wonder for your heart and circulation. [8]

Another study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that people who walked at an average or quick pace between five and 10 hours a week have lowered their chance to die from heart disease by 24%. [9]

Moreover it also pumps up the high-density lipoproteins(HDL) in your body, which considerably reduces the chances of a heart attack. At least 30 minutes of walking for five days a week can assuredly make a difference.

6. Eases Joint Pain

As we grow old our body start to develop some joint pain that are terrible to handle, however a simple morning walk can also help you with this.

Walking can strengthens our joints, improves the production of joint fluids, and keeps them lubricated hence preventing stiffness and loss of mobility. In fact a study shows  that walking, reduces your chances of osteoporosis, arthritis, and other bone-degenerative  condition. [10]

Further brisk walking can also help the body release serotonin and endorphins (type of hormones) that helps eliminate the pain with no medications (depending on the specific condition).

According to  Arthritis Foundation walking moderately at least 30 minutes a day on a regular basis can reduce the pain in your joints, along with stiffness and inflammation.

 

7. Boosts Immune Function

A strong immune system ensure that you are healthy and disease free, and walking might prevent you from the risk for developing a cold or the flu.

In fact a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine where 1000 adults during flu season were tracked. It was found that people who walked at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes a day had 43% fewer sick days and fewer upper respiratory tract infections overall. [11]

Moreover a strong immune system can help improve indications and lower their hazard for cardiovascular illness and metabolic disorder (Improve metabolism), in addition to other things.

Also Read: Eat these 8 food for healthy immune system

8. Helps You Sleep Better

A healthy sleep is a key to wakeup in a good mood. According to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center women who walk daily report that they fall asleep much more easily. [12]

Another report published by  WebMD an hour of walking and stretching, especially in the morning, can help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. [13]

9. Other Health Benefits of walking

• Improve Bone pain
• Reduce Muscle weakness
• Lower your blood sugar
• Decrease Risk of cardiovascular disease
• Protect from Cancer calld
• Severe asthma [in children]
• Improve digestion
• Builds self-confidence
• Good for old age
• Keeps your eyes healthy
• Fights common cold
• Gives You Strong and Healthy Hair
• Makes Your Skin Look Radiant

A Word From Healthyngreat

A simple morning walk can fulfill daily recommended exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels. Just make sure you do it regularly. Try to walk more then 10,000 steps a day to improve your overall health.

It's important to warm up and cool down before walking to avoid injury. Further using a pedometer will surely help you count your foot steps. If you are new to our blog and prefer our statistics please subscribe us and follow us and you will be notified everytime when we post something new.

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