Looking to improve your physical and mental wellbeing? The phrase healthy body healthy mind certainly holds true but not everyone has the time or energy for an intense workout multiple times a week. One of the best, yet an often overlooked, forms of exercise to improve your physical and mental wellbeing is a daily walk.
Here are a few of the main benefits from daily walking:
Physical Health
Although it is a moderate form of exercise, daily walking has many physical health advantages which makes it ideal for those looking to improve their fitness without having to do an intense workout. Daily walking can:
- Improve cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness
- Increase muscle strength
- Reduce body fat
- Reduce risk of heart disease and stroke
- Improve balance
- Strengthen bones
Mental Health
There are also many mental health benefits to walking which can be helpful for anyone but particularly if you struggle with your mental health. Walking can reduce stress because it gets you out of the house, allows you to enjoy being in nature and gets the blood pumping. Many people also find that walking and being out in nature can help them to feel more creative and in touch with the world.
Social Benefits
Another major mental health benefit of walking is that it can be highly social. You can stop and talk to people along the way or even join walking groups – this makes walking a great hobby for anyone looking to make new friends and/or anyone that feels isolated. This can be a big problem for elderly people so this, and the physical health benefits, make it a great activity to start.
Walking with a Dog
Having a dog is a great way to get into walking because it means that you have to get out each day and there are no excuses. People also find it fun and relaxing to walk a dog, plus it can be more social once you start to meet other dog owners on a regular walk.
Getting Started
Another reason that walking is such a fantastic hobby is that it is incredibly easy to start. It is important that you have a good pair of shoes and that you have suitable clothing for the weather and for the area that you will be walking in. If walking in the country, for example, then you could find a nice Barbour shirt from somewhere like Orvis to complete the look.
It is amazing the difference that a daily walk can have on both your physical and mental wellbeing, plus it is a hobby that is incredibly easy to start and get into. People often start to notice the positive effects of daily walking straight away and will start to look forward to their excursions and find new places to explore by foot. It can also be highly social which makes it more fun and is good for those that are looking to make new friends or be more social.