Did you know that a half-an-hour walk daily is one of the easiest and best exercises you can do? It has amazing benefits for both your physical and mental health and it’s an excellent method to get fitter.
What you need are comfy shoes and a bit of motivation to get out of the house and get your workout done! According to some studies, regular walking may also be a beneficial type of exercise for the reduction of heart issues by 31 percent.
Plus, it also lowers your death risk by 32 percent, according to Harvard Health.
This being said, people who have a sedentary lifestyle or spend a lot of time sitting while at work can better their health if they introduce daily walks to their life. Try to cover at least 5.5 miles per week.
If you still have doubts why you need to walk more and sit less, continue reading the article. We will present the 5 best benefits of daily walking.
The 5 Best Advantages of Daily Walking
- Stronger lungs
When you’re walking, your lungs improve their functioning as you’re breathing in more oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. When you walk, your breathing strengthens and thus, the body’s use of oxygen and release of dioxide is bigger.
And, when you’re walking regularly, the lungs will make better use of the oxygen and your blood flow will speed up as the muscles in the lungs are moving. With regular walking, the tendency to stay out of breath will minimize as your lung capacity strengthens.
- Healthier heart
To avert cardiovascular illnesses, walk more, according to a study from Current Opinion Cardiology Journal. If you’re not used to vigorous exercises, but you’ve been advised to be more physically active, begin your journey to fitness by introducing regular walks.
The immediate advantages from walking are lower blood pressure and balanced cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In the long run, this is good for the cardiovascular health. Walking is also known to boost the heart rate and strengthen your heart muscles. Consequently, it becomes better at pumping blood and oxygen for the other organs.
- Better mental health
According to a study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the women who walked for at least 200 minutes per week had better emotional health despite being diagnosed with depression.
After three years of tracking, the researchers concluded that these women had healthier bodies and better mental health too. Walking is indeed an awesome way to clear your thoughts, think more positively, and enjoy the benefits of spending time in nature. Whenever possible, walk in forest, wood or park areas.
- Better digestion
According to one study done by German researchers, walking may help speed up the travelling of the food in the stomach and boost the digestive processes.
Therefore, instead of sitting in front of your TV after a heavy lunch, opt for a stroll around your neighborhood to fight off indigestion. Moreover, walks are excellent for those struggling with constipation. Walking is known to activate the intestinal muscles and thus, optimize the digestive tract function.
- Balanced blood sugar
Walking 20 minutes or so after a big meal can aid the body to balance its blood sugar levels. Short walks after meals were found to be even more beneficial than a 45-minute walk in the morning, according a study published in the journal Diabetes Care.
This happens because the body is removing glucose from the blood as walking burns energy while working up the muscles.
Sources: