The Surprising Many Benefits of Daily Walks

Usually, adapting the habits which bring you sustainable benefits are hard to do. Overcoming that hard thing then makes it enjoyable. Not so with walks, they are enjoyable from the start, and pay out in so many ways.

Going on daily walks is THE cornerstone habit of mine.

I go on a walk if stress is high.

I go on walks to gain clarity if life seems overwhelming.

I go on a walk if I seek inspiration.

I go on a walk if I need to recharge and boost my energy.

It never fails to deliver. And at the same time contribute big time to my health.

Here are the top 5 benefits why should adopt walking in your daily routine.

Fit and healthy

The good thing about walking is that almost everyone can do it.

Even if your suffer from health issues already, almost everyone can pick up walking. Plus walking will prevent many of the common health issues we see in our society. It can even reverse health issues.

Walking will improve your health and keeps you young.

1. Walking improves your cardiovascular health. It strengthens the heart, improves blood circulation. Over time it reduces your blood pressure. With that your decrease your overall risk of heart disease or stroke.
2. Walking burns calories and thus can help with weight management.
3. Walking strengthens muscles and bones.
4. Walking is joint friendly and improves joint health. That is a big plus for me as my joints would not support going on a run due to wear and tear.
5. Walking is a moderate exercise. Depending on how fit you are, it can increase your fitness level. Important as well is that this moderate exercise also improves immune function.

More Energy

Time and energy are the two resources at our disposal to achieve an outcome in our life.

Whereas time is out of your control, it is in our hand to replenish our energy. So it is the best lever we have to determine the outcome of a day, a week, a year, in the end our life. Walking is one great way to replenish our energy.

It seems counterintuitive that a physical activity increases our energy. But walking does this directly and indirectly.

Humans have evolved to walk. Walking was major part of our survival, we did that all day long. Walking is part of our nature. It does not consume much mental nor physical energy (Given your not walking far beyond your limits). If walking is exhausting for you, start small and walk your way back to better fitness.

If you feel fatigued, walking is a great way to boost your energy. Walking is improving blood flow and with that also oxygen flow throughout the body. This will increase your energy level.

Walking, especially in daylight, will improve your sleep. It is actually one of the best ways to improve your sleep. And sleep is the highlander, the one and only, to improve energy, health - body and mind -, mood, EVERYTHING. I would walk every day alone for that.

Walking not only boosts your physical fitness but also elevates your baseline energy levels, ensuring sustained vitality day in and day out. Unlike striving for peak performance, which can be sporadic and draining, the consistent practice of walking enhances your endurance and stamina. This gives you a robust foundation of energy that empowers you to thrive, regardless of the circumstances.

Calming

Walking has the wonderful ability to calm you down.

While walking physical changes happen to your brain. It will reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. Meaning it reduces worry and anxiety with that.

Walking is a great way to regulate your emotions.

Let's say you have an argument at work with one of your colleagues, more like a fight. It is always a good advice to withdraw yourself from that immediate situation for a while. To calm down not only your but everyone nerves. Take a deep breath with long exhales. And then go for a walk to clam down even more and come back with clearer thoughts.

Or you have an upcoming presentation and you are nervous. I use walks to calm me down, combined with breathing techniques. With the side effect that I also use it to go through my presentation. And so improving my presentation performance because I am calmer and better prepared.

Walks are getting even more powerful when done in nature, e.g. a forest. This can be also a park if you don't live close to nature. You might have heard of forest bathing. Forest bathing is a technique to de-stress and foster health and well-being. Here you wander mindful, engage with your senses in the forest or natural environment. We are tapping into our human experience here and that is why it feels so good. Forgetting all our problems and stresses in our modern life. And it combines well with walking of course.

And on top of it all, walking is boosting your mood. Walking is releasing endorphins which is indeed boosting your mood and feeling of well being.

Mental Clarity

Walking is also a great exercise when you feel overwhelmed and there is only chaos in your mind.

We already discussed how walking gets you calmer. That of course helps to see better through all the thoughts in your head. At the same time it is also helping to sort all the things going on in your life.

Walking helps to you to see clearer through the chaos which life is.

Walking is improving cognitive function. It helps tapping into the unconscious part of your mind. That is how walking offer new perspectives. And one of this new perspectives is exactly what you need sometimes. The clarity you needed to do the next steps. That is not only very practical but also deeply motivating. I often find my self coming back from a walk wanting to attack that problem right away.

Creativity

Walking is tapping in your subconscious.

Your subconscious is the supercomputer in our head. That is where the brain connects all the information you are obtaining. And exactly this novel connections is where new ideas are born. That is where the creativity sparks.

Walking is - hands down - the best tool in your belt to boost creativity.

Many of the greatest thinkers used walking as their source of inspiration. I mean: Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Thoreau alone... If you haven't experienced this yet, I strongly recommend it, it is amazing.

You can use this even tactically. Let's say you are facing a problem currently and you lack ideas how to solve it. Emerse your self into that problem. Think about it, read about it. This makes it present in your mind. Now go for a walk and your subconscious will work on it: It is almost sure you get a new ideas and perspectives.

To boost creativity it is also good to fill you mind with other not related knowledge. For example by reading unrelated topics. That is where the true magic of the unconscious mind can happen: The true innovations. You subconscious is able to make the connections between superficial, unrelated topics. It does that when you don't focus your mind, when it is on auto-pilot. And that is exactly the mode your are in while walking.

There are two things I do to leverage that to the full extend:

1. When you walk you mind will wander as well. Different things will come up. You can guide your mind to a topic you want to progress on. You mind will usually start in the context you are immerse yourself in. You can bring your mind back to the topic while walking. Do it gently. Don't overdo it, to not suffocate the creativity by focusing too much.
2. You will forget the great ideas you have while walking. I convinced myself many times that I will remember, but I did not. You need a note taking method. I use voice to text on my smart phone. I just store the ideas, and digest them when back home. That way you get the most out it.

Walking is for me really the source of endless creativity. And it is so enjoyable at the same time.

Summary

Pick up walking as a daily habit. I promise you, it will make your life better. And it will not fail to deliver benefits:

• It keeps you fit and healthy
• It is a great way to rest and restore your energy
• It is calming you down
• It gives your more clarity
• And finally it is the creativity booster.

All you need is to set some time aside. I recommend at least 30 minutes every day. I am doing more like 60-90 minutes. It is very well invested time.

Enjoy and see you out there on a walk!

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