How One Hour Of Walking A Day Altered My Mental Health And Made Me Happy
It can help you too
If this is too simple a proposition, then perhaps skip this article but if you sit all day, suffer from stress, worry or feel crushed by the weight of expectation, then do please read on.
My office is 4 miles from my house. It takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get there. I have been walking there or back for a while now and I don’t want to stop.
I am here to spread the word of what walking daily could do for your life.
This is what it has done for me.
- You could lose weight, walking for 60 minutes plus, at an average pace of 3–4 miles an hour will burn a good amount of calories, this seems to have more of an effect on my weight if I walk to work and not back from work. I do it on an empty stomach and one black coffee. After 14 days or so I notice a huge difference.
- You could gain insights into your life that only come from long walks. I spot things I would never notice if I was on the subway/tube. I see details in the architecture, hidden backstreets and alleyways. I get a feel for the mood of the city and am almost at one with it, part of it. Losing and finding myself in my thoughts, I allow them free rein. It is time away from my screen and the distraction of my phone.
- You may feel accomplished. It is quite a challenge but once it is done, it adds an achievement to your day giving it that extra boost. Do not underestimate what micro achievements do for your mental health. I will take all the wins I can get thank you very much.
- It could make you more resilient and that can spread to other areas of your life. Walking may not be tough for all of us, but it still takes mental strength to muster the courage or energy to go for a 3–4 mile walk when no one is forcing you. It can be super cold, burning hot, windy and wet plus you may have had a bad day. Pushing through those uncomfortable feelings that arise can really strengthen our resolve. This matters.
- It could possibly improve your immune system. Whilst I am not qualified to tell you it will, I believe that the combination of the above can only help to get blood, oxygen and positivity pumping around your system. This can only be a good thing. Not to mention the vitamin D if you live in a sunny climate.
If you are looking for a challenge, try this out for 30 days, or 10 days, hell even 1 day if you can.
It could be the beginning of something big, maybe a walk across the desert or to base camp Everest.
All in our time and in our own way, gently goes it.
