According to arthritis.org, walking offers many health and pain reduction benefits for people with arthritis. However, it isn’t just people with arthritis that can see a marked improvement in their health and wellbeing.
The fact is, we could all benefits from clocking up more steps each day.
11 Reasons to Start Walking More Often
#1 – It can lift your mood
Walking can actually help lighten up your mood as it releases natural endorphins.
#2 – It can aid any weight loss efforts
If you were to take a relatively brisk walk for just 30 minutes a day, it burns roughly 200 calories. Over the weeks and months, this all adds up to extra calories burned, and pounds lost.
#3 – It can help with your sleep
There are lots of studies that show regular walks can help with aiding and regulating your sleep.
#4 – It will help build strength in your muscles
When you walk, it helps to tone both your abdominal and leg muscles; if you pump your arms while you walk, it can help tone them too. It also helps to increase your range of motion as the weight and pressure is shifted between your muscles and your joints.
#5 – It may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s
The University of Virginia in Charlottesville did a study, finding that men between the ages of 70-90 who walked every day had just under half the occurrences of Alzheimer’s and Dementia compared with those who did not walk at all.
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#6 – It can slow down any decline in cognition
Another study, this time conducted by a team of researchers at the University of California, found that instances of age-connected memory decline were less in those who walked more.
For women walking 2-3 miles daily, there was a 17% decline in their memory; but for those who walk less than a mile each week, there was a higher decline, closer to 25%.
#7 – It’s good for your joints
Most of the joint cartilage in a person’s body has no direct supply of blood. The nutrition it gets is actually obtained from the fluids that circulate as the body moves.
Compression and movement from walking help to move nutrients and oxygen to the joints. This is why walking is of great benefit to the joints.
#8 – It’s beneficial for your bones
For people who suffer from osteoporosis, walking is a great preventative measure that can actually halt the loss of bone mass. Other studies suggest that regular walking can also reduce the risk of hip fractures in older patients.
#9 – It costs nothing and is accessible to all
Getting out and enjoying the great outdoors costs nothing, and regardless of whether you drive, or whether you want to take family and friends, walking is a pastime that truly is accessible and enjoyable for all.
#10 – It’s great for heart health
Again, just a short walk of 30 minutes per day can help to lower your risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 20%. If you increase the distance you walk or the length of time you walk for, this could reduce that risk even further.
#11 – It can help to reduce your blood sugar
If you take a walk following a meal, it may also help to reduce your blood sugar levels.
There’s no doubt that walking is great for your health and wellbeing. If you don’t walk at all or infrequently, there’s never been a better time or group of reasons to motivate you to get started!
