Walk to Relieve Stress

In light of the sad events in the UK with innocents killed at Manchester Arena at the Ariana Grande concert, it got me thinking about how hearing about things like this on the news can affect us.  It is natural to be angry and saddened by occurrences such as this, but it can also make us feel anxious and a bit unsafe in our own country.

I then thought, does walking help relieve stress? Does doing this simple form of exercise help us to overcome those feelings of anxiety and stress that we sometimes feel?

How To Walk To Relieve Your Stress

What Makes You Want to Walk?
When we posed that question to a number of walkers a few years back, we expected to get answers like "to lose weight" and "to get in shape." But we were delighted by the number of people who commented on walking's emotional benefits—in particular, its ability to relieve stress.

Aerobic exercise of any kind has the power to calm jangled nerves and improve bad moods. And when it's done every day, it can enhance self-esteem and combat depression. Indeed, research has shown that a brisk 20- to 30-minute walk can have the same calming effect as a mild tranquilizer.

Why is walking—or any physical activity, for that matter—such a potent stress reducer? Many experts cite its ability to trigger the release of endorphins, potent brain chemicals that relieve pain and stimulate relaxation. Simply put, the higher your level of endorphins, the greater your sense of calm and well-being. No wonder walking can make you feel so good.
 

 

 Stroll Toward Relaxation

During the 16 weeks of the study, the people who meditated while they walked reported decreases in anxiety, along with more positive and fewer negative feelings about themselves. n fact, the benefits were equal to those associated with brisk walking. Even better, they were evident after just one session, and they lasted for the duration of the study.

By comparison, the people who walked at a low-intensity pace but didn't meditate showed no improvements until the 14th week, and even then, the effects weren't as significant. On the other hand, the people who engaged in mindful exercise experienced results that were very similar to those reported by the walking-plus-meditation group, suggesting that other mental techniques could yield stress-busting benefits.

According to Rippe, one of the most impressive findings from this research is the immediacy with which walking can relieve stress. The study also provided good news for those who aren't able to engage in high-intensity exercise: They can capitalize on walking's stress-busting effects just by practicing meditation or another mental technique during their strolls. And for those who find relaxation exercises tedious or boring, the study proved that a brisk walk can do just as good a job of short-circuiting stress.

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