Is there a better way to get around than walking? Ambling down a path, power walking through the city streets, meandering around your village; walking always fits the bill. Particularly when you consider all the many benefits of walking regularly.
Since walking is so versatile and can be as strenuous or as easy as you choose, you can take a stroll every single day. Simply walking for 30 minutes a day will produce plenty of benefits. In this post, we will look at the best benefits of healthy walking.
9 Best Walking Benefits
Walking every day is one of the best ways to get regular exercise while exploring your surroundings, spending time with your thoughts, or catching up with your friends. Now with Lucyd Bluetooth glasses, you can even listen to your favorite music or an interesting podcast while hearing your surroundings, making walking every day even better.
Here are the top advantages of taking a daily walk.
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Walking improves your mood and reduces stress
One of the best parts about walking is that it’s a great mood booster. The exercise releases serotonin, and breathing in the fresh air does wonders. Also, if the sun is shining as you stroll, you get the added benefit of vitamin D and some sun on your face. Lastly, if you are walking solo, the “me time” can be very useful for stress release.
Tip: If you like walking alone to listen to music, take and make calls, or listen to a podcast, read our post on the benefits of walking with smart glasses.
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Lose body fat and maintain a healthy weight
A brisk walk every day is an excellent way to lose a few extra kgs and maintain a healthy body weight. Not only do you burn calories as you walk but it also stimulates your metabolism, helping you to digest your food more efficiently. If you prefer to walk slowly, try adding in a hill to get your blood pumping.
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Improve cardiovascular fitness
Walking benefits your cardiorespiratory system, increasing cardiovascular fitness. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that those who did a 30-minute walk a day had a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who did not walk regularly.
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Strengthen your bones and muscles
Regular walks strengthen your bones, muscles, and joints. Walking may help improve your mobility and range of motion as it increases blood flow while strengthening the muscles surrounding your joints. In the long-term, this is one of the most important advantages of walking regularly.
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Improve your sleep
Regular exercise improves your sleep at night. Walking can also have a positive impact on sleep quality and the length of your sleep. In addition to this, as walking reduces stress and physical pain, it may reduce the sleep disturbances you are prone to.
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Increase energy levels
Of course, more sleep means more energy. However, this is not the only way that walking impacts your energy. Doing this form of light to moderate exercise can increase your energy levels by increasing oxygen flow through the body. It can also increase levels of hormones that affect energy; namely cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
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Improve your balance
Walking every day helps build lower-body strength, which is an important element of good balance and coordination.
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Reduce your risk of chronic diseases
Walking lowers blood sugar levels, which decreases your overall risk for diabetes. It also decreases your blood pressure, and as previously mentioned, decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Walking increases quality time
Walking with your partner or friends can elevate the quality time spent with your loved ones. Walking and talking is fun and stimulating, as you take in the sights, smells, and sounds of your surroundings while you chat. Walking can also decrease self-consciousness and make open communication easier and more comfortable.
