Wellbeing tip #5: going for a walk

The fifth of a monthly series where I’ll offer some suggestions for tools and strategies that can help with our well-being.

Each one of us is different, and what one person finds helpful, may not resonate with others. 

We may find that what has helped previously, may not be connecting with us in the same way in the present.

Or you may have a well-established set of tools that are ‘tried and trusted’, but you’d like to add some more.

It is my hope that these tips will give you some ideas. 

May: walking.

With May being national walking month, it seems only right that walking should take centre stage for this month’s wellbeing tip.

The benefits of walking have been talked about for some time with an emphasis on ‘getting your steps in’ and making sure that you hit 10,000 a day.  Walking challenges are common place too, whether it be an emphasis on number of steps, a distance, or a particular goal or achievement such as reaching a summit. However, what seems to be on the increase, is an emphasis on the additional wellbeing elements that walking can bring.

As well as a focus on the act of moving, of the improvements on physical health, there is also the impact on mental health, particularly with the notion of placing ‘one foot in front of the other’, especially when it feels impossible, or not easy. 

There is more focus on the impact of being outdoors, of being in the natural environment, and taking time to be mindfully aware of our surroundings, with it being recognised that being within it not only has the potential to positively improve our mood, but that it can also enable us to slow down; to move through the thoughts in our mind, our feelings, to take time to be present and in the here and now, particularly when we live in what can at times, feel like a busy and  non-stop world.

There is also the aspect of community.  For some, a lone walk may be what brings comfort, peace, and a much-needed moment to yourself, whilst for others, it can be an opportunity to connect, whether that be through a casual hello to someone that you pass, or by being part of an organised walking group. 

Depending on location, a walk can bring moments of silence, of hustle and bustle, of sounds that calm such as water, the rustle of a breeze in the trees, or moments of reconnection with an outside world.  We can use a walk to provide what is needed in the moment, whether that be a chance to pause and be with our thoughts and feelings, enabling them to process, or to find a distraction, to momentarily take us away from the daily stresses or those things from which we need a break, whether routine or events.  Or it might allow us to simply move after being at a desk all day.

When going for a walk, it doesn’t have to be an epic trek.  It can be as short, or as long, as you want it to be.

You might plan a route before you go, or you might just wander and explore, seeing what you find along the way.

One of the joys of going for a walk, is that it can be easily incorporated into your day.

You might try a walk first thing after waking, or at the end of the day as part of a wind down routine.  Or you might find a lunch time walk a perfect break in the working day.

You might only have time to go 10 minutes up the road, and 10 minutes back again, but you will be astounded at the benefit that it can still have.

Here are some other tips for incorporating walking into your daily life:

·       Integrate a walk into your daily commute – if you can’t walk the whole way, could you park further away, or get off the bus a stop earlier, and walk the last part? 

·       ‘Walking meetings’ or catch-ups – if your work allows, you could perhaps do meetings whilst walking, either in person or on the phone.  The same for when catching up with a friend or family member.

·       If you enjoy audio books or podcasts, you could bring this activity together with walking, by going for a walk whilst you listen to an episode or chapter.

·       If you like having something to aim for, there are many walking challenges that you can sign up for, whether that be an individual one through tracking apps such as Strava or Garmin, who have monthly walking challenges, such as a distance over a weekend, or a monthly distance or step count.  Or you might fancy signing up for a charity walk or trek which will also give you the routine of a training plan, a goal, and potentially a community of others who are also taking part.

Overall, walking has been found to have positive effects on our physical health (cardiovascular, muscle and bone strength to name a couple), as well as our mental health, with identified benefits including stress reduction, mood improvement, improved sleep, improved cognitive and memory function and increased energy.  It is also a low impact activity that can be incorporated reasonably easily into our every life, and that can be adaptable to our needs on any given day.

So, this weekend, why not lace up your trainers, and head out for a walk?  Either with others or solo.

Not only will you reap the wellbeing rewards, but you never know what previously unknown and unseen places, views and treasures you may find!