Do you ever have days when you feel like you should go for a walk but you really don’t want to? Whether you tell yourself you’re going to go for a walk during your lunch break at the office or you’re going to take a break from being curled up on the couch all day and get outside for a jaunt around the neighborhood, there may be times when you say, “Screw it, I’ll just go tomorrow.”
The thing is, you’ll never regret a walk. It’s similar to working out: At first, you may not want to brave the cold temperatures, get up early, and head to the gym in the dark — but at the end of the workout, you never regret it. You always leave feeling better than when you first arrived.
The same can be said about a walk. (No wonder walking was the most popular form of movement in our most recent State of Fitness survey!)
Here are some of the benefits of walking every day.
Walking benefits
1. It can give you a dose of vitamin D
When you head outside into Mother Nature, one of the benefits of walking includes exposure to a few sweet rays of sunshine, ultimately providing you with a daily dose of vitamin D. “Just being outdoors, you get a fair amount of sun exposure and some sun-related generation of vitamin D,” notes Yale Medicine.
However, you should always wear sunblock, especially when outside for a prolonged length of time. Yes, sunblock will limit the amount of vitamin D you get from the sun — which is why it’s also important to include vitamin D-rich foods in your daily diet. You may also supplement with vitamin D as well.
Always have a chat with your doctor before starting a new supplement as they can help you determine what dosage is best for you and your health.
2. It clears your mind
Walking is a simple way to help clear your mind from anxiety and stress, shares Ellie Heintze, a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist in Bothell, Wash., at her practice, Starting Point Acupuncture.
A recent study published in 2017 in the World Leisure Journal found that people who went on regular walks, specifically outdoors, showed improvements in mental states and mood as well as less muscle tension.
Heintze says when you walk at even a brisk pace, it helps to improve heart rate variability, increase blood flow to the brain and muscles, and increase body temperature. Certain neurotransmitters are also released in the brain, such as endorphins, which are those feel-good hormones we all know and love. All of these factors can help promote a more relaxed state and help to clear your mind from everyday stresses.
Oh, and bonus: If you can, try and walk by a body of water, specifically wherever water collides. (Think of a lake or ocean shoreline or a waterfall.) Spots like these hold negative ions, which can have a positive effect on us.
Some experimental research published in the journal BMC Psychiatry indicates that exposure to negative air ions is linked to enhanced well-being, less anxiety, lower psychological stress, and reduced depression severity.
3. It counts as daily movement
Walking is a good form of exercise. So if you’re looking for another easy way to move your body every day, lace up those walking shoes. It’s low-impact and completely affordable because it’s free. Plus, you can do it anywhere, making it one of the easiest ways to get in some form of daily activity and exercise.
4. It’s good for your overall health
Some other benefits of walking every day, as cited by Mayo Clinic, include:
- Improves balance, cardiovascular fitness, cognition, coordination, energy levels, memory, mood, muscle endurance, and sleep
- Prevents or manages various conditions, including cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
- Reduce stress and tension
- Strengthens bones, immune health, and muscles
Harvard Health mentions a few more walking benefits of its own, including:
- Boosts immune function
- Eases joint pain
- Reduces the risk of developing breast cancer
5. You get some fresh air
You don’t have to go walking outside to reap all of the benefits of walking every day. Walking is a good exercise no matter where you do it. Whether you choose to walk inside or outside, you’ll enjoy walking benefits in some capacity. But if you decide to walk outside, you’ll also reap the benefits of walking in the fresh air.
A recent study analyzed participants who walked indoors on a treadmill and looked at nature scenes viewed on a TV compared to individuals who walked outside in the awe and beauty of Mother Nature.
The 2018 study published in Sage Journals found that those who walked outside had a more improved mood and lower cortisol levels compared to the other groups who walked inside. This shows that if you can get your daily steps outside in the fresh air, it may provide an added benefit.
The bottom line on the benefits of walking every day
Walking is a good exercise — but walking is great for more than just daily movement. Walking benefits range from catching some vitamin D rays to clearing your mind to improving your overall health and wellness.
How far should you walk every day, exactly? The standard recommendation has more recently been walking 10,000 steps a day or 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, remarks Heintze. “Creating a daily routine and carving out several times a day to walk or get all your steps in at one time can help to make walking a priority in your day-to-day activities,” she says.
The next time you’re tempted to skip that walk, just do the damn thing and go for one already. I said it once and I’ll say it again — you’ll never regret a walk.
