To help keep your body healthy, the NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week; walking can count towards this.
This is different from taking a leisurely stroll. Moderate-intensity walking involves raising your heart rate and breathing rate such that you can still hold a conversation but can’t sing.
This has many health benefits. Here are eight of them.
1. Improve your cardiovascular health
The second leading cause of death of adults in the UK is coronary heart disease, also known as ischaemic heart disease or coronary artery disease. Regularly going for a walk can significantly reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, as well as reducing your risk of high blood pressure.
If you already have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, regular walking can help reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.
2. Control your blood sugar levels
Over five million people in the UK are living with diabetes, which is characterised by high blood sugar levels. Diabetes can damage many of your organs over time, including your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves.
Regular walking can help lower your blood sugar levels and increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that helps sugar in your blood enter your cells. Together, this helps reduce your risk of diabetes and if you already have diabetes, can help keep your blood sugar levels under better control.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
Depending on your weight and speed of walking, you can burn around three to five calories per minute from walking. This means you can burn up to 750 calories if you spend 150 minutes walking every week.
Combined with a healthy diet, regular walking can, therefore, help you lose excess weight.
4. Improve your muscle strength and balance
Regular walking strengthens and tones the muscles in your lower body — the same muscles that help you maintain your balance.
As your muscles become stronger, you’ll notice that you can walk further and faster without tiring, triggering a virtuous cycle. Walking on an incline, as opposed to on a flat surface, will help strengthen your muscles further.
5. Strengthen your bones and joints
Weight-bearing exercises help improve your bone density. Regular walking specifically strengthens the bones in your lower body as they have to bear the weight of the rest of your body.
Regular walking also strengthens the muscles around your joints, which helps keep your joints stable. Stronger muscles also lead to stronger joints due to the forces the muscles apply to your joints as they pull on them.
6. Improve your mood
Exercise, including walking, stimulates the release of endorphins in your brain and nervous system. Endorphins reduce your perception of pain and increase feelings of wellbeing. Together, this can improve your mood and reduce your stress levels. Regular walking can also reduce anxiety and depression.
7. Increase your energy levels
Walking, as with other forms of exercise, increases your heart rate, which allows more oxygen-rich blood to be pumped around your body. It also increases the release of hormones including cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. Together, this increases your energy levels, which is why though you may feel tired before a walk, you may feel more energised after one.
8. Boost your immune system
Moderate-intensity exercise, including walking, boosts your immune system by improving the flow of immune cells throughout your body and reducing inflammation. Regular walking can, therefore, help reduce how often you catch colds and the flu, and the duration of your symptoms.
How to walk safely
To avoid injury when walking, make sure you wear comfortable shoes with a good amount of cushioning that supports your ankles and feet. You should also wear clothing that allows you to move freely and easily, without overheating — try wearing several light layers, so you can add and remove them as needed.
It is also important to warm up before you go for a walk by walking or marching on the spot. Once your muscles have warmed up, stretch them out and then do so again after your walk is finished. This will help prevent your muscles from feeling achy the next day and will also reduce your risk of injuries.
