Does walking have health benefits? In today's fast-moving world, we have almost stopped walking in our day-to-day life and too forgot its benefits. Walking could be a great way to maintain or improve overall health.
A 30 mins walk a day could help you build stamina, burn those extra calories, increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, and boost muscle power. Walking also lowers heart rate eases Anxiety, and relieves stress.
Anxiety can’t be defined in words; it's a situation where everyone has different anxiety, maybe fear of something or negative thoughts. It also impacts the brain.
One of the oldest and most primitive parts of the brain is the one that controls Anxiety. This part of the brain also controls decision-making; making decisions becomes difficult when anxious. Making too many decisions at a time can also make you anxious. This part of the brain is a mono-tasker and can do only one thing simultaneously. Walking actually shuts down the anxious mechanism.
Elevated stress levels produce more hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These are important hormones and are essential sources of fuel for the brain. But when in excess, these hormones seep into the bloodstream and not only raise blood sugar levels, these hormones create severe physical and mental problems, and the cycle between Anxiety and other co-occurring disorders is perpetuated.
Depression and suicidal thoughts start to sneak in, and anxiety begins to tighten its grasp if not treated in time. You must take all the necessary steps toward anxiety treatment to prevent the spiral from continuing downward.
Anxiety can be controlled by doing many physical activities. Walking is one of them. As per some experts, it is proven that walking can be a stress buster for those who are anxious. Let's see its benefits.
Walking has several benefits. These benefits differ from person to person. Still, walking has a few expected benefits
Physical inactivity and anxiety symptoms are correlated. Those who do not burn off excess energy are more prone to anxiety symptoms. There are likely several reasons why this occurs:
The energy which is unused in the body may increase the risk of experiencing anxiety.
Severe anxiety can create further anxiety; symptoms may worsen when you're not moving and tiring your muscles.
For these reasons, it becomes essential to make physical activities a habit to lower anxiety, and walking is the best way to ensure that.
Walking helps with the way we should breathe. This is especially important in case of anxiety and panic attacks. In the case of hyperventilation, a severe Anxiety problem, people tend to feel chest pain and difficulty breathing. Hyperventilation makes it feel a scarcity of oxygen, but it causes mainly because of exhaling extra carbon dioxide.
At the same time, our body requires a balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen in the bloodstream. So when we breathe too hard, our oxygen level outweighs the carbon dioxide.
Walking is the best way to balance oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body. When we walk, our body creates carbon dioxide naturally. So the more we walk, the balance is restored.
The best effective way to deal with anxiety is simply reducing how you think about your symptoms. Walking, especially outside, gives the mind much healthy stimulation and sensory distraction. This may result in a decrease in your anxiety symptoms.
If you are Walking, you can change it through jogging, which can help reduce anxiety levels. Jogging for long distances releases neurotransmitters that reduce stress and anxiety and also reduce hormone levels linked to anxiety symptoms.
Walking may not control all your anxiety-producing thoughts or prevent all your anxiety symptoms. Still, walking is a type of remedy that can actually make a genuine difference in your ability to cope with Anxiety.
Nonetheless, at times, we may find that walking helps anxiety, but it may not be enough to cope and provide the relief you need. Some therapists recommend using Soma (Carisoprodol) in addition to walking treatments for the best results.
Every person has their own way of walking. Some of them love to enjoy their company while walking, whereas others walk with their friends after having a meal. Even many youngsters walk while listening to music. That’s why walking has different benefits for different people. Let’s see how walking helps in terms of mental health.
You should know the working mechanism of walking and making you healthy. Things that are involved in changing your health towards betterment are given below:
Walking or other physical activity, such as exercising, can release feel-good endorphins. A hormone in the body releases when you feel pain or stress. Walking also increases the blood flow to the brain.
Some studies have shown that a person’s creativity and thinking process can be improved while walking. Watching eye-catching things through your own eyes can definitely improve your thought process toward positivity & positivity leads to gaining confidence.
Walking with your lovable and having conversations about each one’s life can definitely help you to get out of Anxiety. Even sometimes, social interaction can also divert your negative thoughts.
It is seen that stress in life can increase blood pressure. Studies have proven that a bit of walking can lower blood pressure and reduce heart problems.
Listening to classical music can be the best option if you want to relax your mind while walking. However, it doesn’t mean you should only listen to classical music, as research says music can reduce Anxiety, pain, and blood pressure. You can also listen to what you actually love.
Instead of music, you can also listen to meditation podcasts to calm your mind while walking. Even there are some people who sing or talk to themselves while walking. For every person, the definition of relaxation is different.
Following are some tips that you can use for a better walk.
These all will give you confidence and hope that you can do it. It is never easy to start, but if you do it successfully, there might not be an end. This goal will get you through your vision.
Apart from the physical performance, walking also improves mental health. It distracts you from your stress and focuses on your positivity. You definitely experienced that. A small walk with your friends or closest one can improve your mood rather than sitting in one place for a while.
Walking for atleast 30 minutes a day can keep you out of reach of Anxiety. That’s why experts say, “Walking 30 minutes a day can keep Anxiety away.” so start moving and exploring things near you.
