Walking or strolling is one of the exercises that, in addition to being pleasant, can make you feel better Many think that if the exercise is not of high intensity it is not possible to benefit from physical activity. But walking or walking is free, it’s easy, and it’s safe from injury.
Walking is an aerobic exercise and as such provides many benefits for people who practice it. For example, a study conducted by the University of Tennessee found that women who walked daily had less body fat than those who did not, and had a lower risk of blood clots.
Therefore, The next time you decide to sit on the couch, think about going for a walk because, in addition to enjoying the landscape, you will obtain both psychological and physical benefits.
Related article: “The 10 psychological benefits of practicing physical exercise”
But what are the benefits of walking? Below we explain them to you.
1. Helps you sleep better
Walking helps release serotonin (5-HT), a neurotransmitter derived from an amino acid called tryptophan One of its functions is increase the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep cycles Furthermore, in order to rest and be calm, serotonin intervenes in the control of stress and body temperature.
Walking increases serotonin levels, which helps you sleep better. A study that was carried out at the University of Sao Paulo that evaluated a group of subjects with insomnia, and compared the effect that both moderate aerobic exercise (for example, walking) and vigorous aerobic exercise had on them, concluded that Moderate aerobic exercise was the one that achieved the greatest benefits regarding sleep quality.
2. Improves mood
A study from California State University, Long Beach, showed that the more steps, the better the mood Because? As mentioned in the previous point, walking releases serotonin, better known as the happiness chemical. But, in addition, it also releases endorphins, natural opiates that make us feel really good.
3. Improves circulation
Walking improves blood circulation and prevents cardiovascular diseases
A study from the University of Colorado and the University of Tennessee found that research subjects who walked one to two miles daily lowered their blood pressure nearly 11 points in 24 weeks. Subjects who walked half an hour a day reduced their risk of having a heart attack by 20 percent.
4. Increases life expectancy
As research from the University of Michigan School of Medicine states, Those in their 50s and 60s who walk regularly are 35 percent less likely to die in the following eight years compared to those who do not walk.
5. Prevents cognitive decline
A study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), in which 6,000 subjects aged 65 or older participated, found that the more we walk, the more cognitive decline slows down. Subjects who walked 2.5 miles a day had 17 percent less memory loss.
A study conducted at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville found that Men ages 71 to 93 who walked a quarter-mile daily had a 50 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s compared to those men of the same age who did not walk.
7. Walking makes you lose weight
Walking is an excellent exercise for losing weight when someone is not yet in good physical condition. For weight loss, especially in the initial phases, aerobic work such as walking is optimal, as it is easy to do, hardly poses a risk of injury and generates predictable and regular energy expenditure. Being a low-impact activity, it does not put stress on your body like running, jumping or even dancing would. This makes it ideal for older adults, people prone to joint pain and anyone who wants to leave the sedentary life behind and live a more active life.
When it comes to burning fat, physical activity and daily activities require between 20% to 30% of the total energy reserve. Digestion uses around 10% of the total energy. And basal metabolism, that is, the energy stored by our body to ensure the functioning of its vital functions (brain, heart, breathing, etc.) represents around 50-70% of all stored calories. An investigation published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association concludes that Women who walk for nine hours a week experience a lower body fat percentage and a higher basal metabolic rate
8. Reduce stress
Stress is an epidemic that has established itself in Western societies The fast pace of life that many individuals live, the demands at work or studies, among other situations, can cause really stressful situations.
Walking allows us to improve our respiratory capacity and our oxygenation. to be calmer. Additionally, like any aerobic exercise, walking reduces cortisol levels a hormone that is released in response to stress, as confirmed by research published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology.
9. Walking strengthens your muscles and makes you more resistant
Walking tones leg, gluteal and abdominal muscles This, added to the improvement of aerobic resistance, you can notice in the activities you do in your daily life, since it will take longer to be tired or fatigued.
10. Increase vitamin D levels
Walking on a sunny day increases vitamin D levels This vitamin is obtained mainly by the action of ultraviolet rays. Vitamin D is necessary for normal brain development and may prevent multiple sclerosis (MS).
In addition, joint research from the University of Pittsburgh (United States) and the Technical University of Queensland in Australia concluded that vitamin D could have a regulatory role in the development of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Do you want to know more about the psychological benefits of vitamin D? Visit our article: “6 vitamins to take care of brain health”
