Walk Your Way to Better Health
Improving Your Health With Walking
When starting your fitness journey, hitting the gym can be an intimidating task. But you can jumpstart your health by taking a 30-minute walk a day! Read on to learn more about the health benefits of putting one foot right in front of the other.
Supports Your Heart Health
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the average adult should be aiming to get at least 150 minutes (2.5 ours) of physical activity into their weekly schedule. Fortunately, this includes walking and hiking!
By adding just 30 minutes of walking to your routine 5 times a week, you can reap the following heart-related health benefits:
- Improves circulation.
- Lowers risk of heart disease.
- Lowers risk of stroke.
- Helps to maintain a healthy weight.
Prevents and Alleviating Joint Pain
If you suffer from joint pain, taking daily walks can help to reduce and even prevent that pain from happening. Leading a more active lifestyle helps to improve your joint pain because it helps to strengthen important supportive muscles and helps to improve your range of motion too!
Supports Mental and Emotional Health
Along with being a great way to support your physical health, walking also positively affects your mental and emotional health by reducing your stress levels. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, getting regular aerobic activity can have the following mental health benefits:
- Reduces levels of tension
- Stabilizes mood
- Improves self-esteem
- Reduces feelings of anxiety and depression
Improves Sleep Quality
Going for daily walks can also help you to get a better night’s rest. The Sleep Foundation states that getting moderate-intensity exercise can improve your sleep quality in the following ways:
- Reduces the time it takes to fall asleep.
- Helps you stay asleep without disruption.
- Reduces your risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
