Kin : The Benefits of Walking

Regular walking as a means of exercise has many benefits for both your physical and mental wellbeing. The great thing is, walking is accessible almost everywhere, requires no preparation and can also be very pleasurable and addictive.

What are the benefits of walking?

• Mood: One of the first noticeable effects of walking is an improvement in mood. When we walk the body produces endorphins, a natural pain killing hormone and mood elevator, which not only reduces stress, it also gives you an instant sense of wellbeing.
• Weight Management: Walking also helps you lose weight, both by expending energy and counteracting the effects of weight gaining genes. Two separate studies from the University of Exeter also found walking reduces sugar cravings.
• Immune System: During the winter, when illness is more prevalent, walking has been found to boost the immune system, which makes it more likely you'll stay well during cold and flu season.
• Blood Sugar: Those with type two diabetes can also benefit, as a reduction in blood sugar levels has been observed in people who walk regularly.
• Aging: Walking also helps you stay young, reducing aging in the brain, improving memory and focus and helping you sleep better. It can even reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.

Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle

There are health issues associated with lifestyles where sitting makes up a large proportion of the day. This is particularly a challenge for those who work in an office. Amongst other things, a lack of movement can lead to anxiety and depression, headaches and migraines, diabetes, heart disease, back pain and obesity.

The good news is, only a few more steps per day can help prevent those risks.

How many steps should I aim for?

Using your activity tracker can help you monitor the number of steps you walk. But how many steps should you be aiming for?

The common advice for those without health restrictions is to reach 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day in order to get the benefits of walking as a means of exercise. The CDC (Centre for Disease Control) recommends a minimum of 7,000 but many believe 10,000 to be a markedly more beneficial target.

One walk a day transforms your health

In the short term, walking elevates your mood, improves sleep and provides you with an overall sense of wellbeing. In the long-term it even makes it less likely you'll contract illness in the first place.

As walking is accessible everywhere and doesn't require any equipment or planning, you can make use of its instant benefits today.