How to Get All of Walking’s Stress-Reducing Benefits, According to Experts

How to Get All of Walking’s Stress-Reducing Benefits, According to Experts


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Working out is an amazing mental health booster—and walking is no exception.

“Immediately after an exercise session, the brain is flooded with neurochemicals that help regulate mood,” says Jennifer Heisz, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of kinesiology at McMaster University and the author of Move the Body, Heal the Mind. This includes endorphins that reduce pain, serotonin to help us stay calm, neuropeptide Y to protect the brain from trauma, and dopamine to activate the brain’s reward system. Also, contracting muscles release myokines, small proteins that help clear excess inflammation.

“Regular exercise such as daily brisk walking also helps tone the stress system and makes you less reactive to everyday stressors,” says Heisz. “This is key. Everyday stressors can gradually erode our physical and mental health by damaging cells and causing an immune response that increases inflammation in the body and the brain.” To experience the calm-inducing benefits of walking, use these tips from Heisz:

  • Start with 10-minute walks. Studies have found that just 10 minutes of walking lowers anxiety and depression and increases focus and creativity. Find time in your day, add it to your calendar, and hold yourself to the plan.

  • Ease into working out. If you are experiencing a lot of stress in your daily life, it can be tough to tolerate hard workouts. Don’t be afraid to lower the intensity—you can get tremendous health benefits from short movement breaks.

  • Stay consistent. After every single workout, when all those neurochemicals flood the brain, you get a boost in mood. But there are also cumulative gains over the long term, both mental and physical,
    if you make walking a regular habit.

  • Slowly increase your duration and pace. Though the mood-boosting benefits can be felt in just 10 minutes, greater benefits are felt with every additional 10 minutes up to one hour. Research from Heisz’s NeuroFit Lab also shows that faster-paced walks and interval walking may be the best strategies for improving memory.

  • Make it fun. Pick something you enjoy doing (like walking in a park) and pair it with other things you like (such as listening to a favorite podcast). While you’re at it, reframe your thinking: “A workout” sounds like work. Instead, call it your “wellness walk,” which is a time for self-care (not a punishment).

To help you get the most out of every step, three Prevention Why I Walk contest winners share how walking helped them take better care of themselves and overcome the mental challenges their lives served up.

france, valensole, back view of woman walking between blossoms of lavender field at sunset
Getty Images

“Walking with a friend brings me comfort”

“A few months after my husband of 54 years died, I arrived home from a meeting with my grief counselor and saw my neighbor Margy walking toward my driveway. I got out of the car, met her, and burst into tears. After consoling me, she said, ‘Do you want to take a walk?’ I nodded, and we walked around the block. I remember crying most of the time, but her arm was around my shoulders, and it felt good to walk. It also felt good to have someone comforting me when I felt so sad. She stayed for tea after the walk, and we’ve been walking together every day since, now for almost three years.

We often walk twice a day—once at 7:30 in the morning and again later, in the afternoon or evening. Scheduling walks every day gave me something to look forward to. Having retired from a taxing career as a nurse and no longer caring for my husband 24/7, I had nothing to do. Plus, COVID-19 restrictions had just started, so I had no outings on my calendar, but knowing that every day I would be seeing a friend, walking and talking, gave me purpose. I recently turned 80, and I’ve never felt better—my mind is sharper, my body is more flexible, and my spirit is soaring. I feel healthier, and checkups with my primary care provider confirm this.

I feel accomplished, and I’m more outgoing. I know more neighbors and feel connected in my neighborhood. I also value time by myself because I have time that I spend with others.”

—Lea Acord, Racine, WI

Walking with a friend brought Lea emotional comfort, and a little prep work can make your walk more comfortable physically too.

  • Wear the right gear. You want soft, cozy, weather-appropriate clothes that allow you to move freely. This might sound like a no-brainer, but if you need the best walking shoes and clothes: your sneakers are rubbing the backs of your ankles, your bra is digging in, or your hands are cold, you’re not going to be able to fully relax.

  • Don’t ignore the sun. Wear sunglasses, sunscreen, and a wide-brimmed hat. The sun’s rays can reflect off of pavement, water, snow, sand, and even grass.

  • Protect yourself from ticks. Ticks can spread serious illnesses, and they’re most active between April and September. To lower your risk of getting bitten on walks on grass or hiking trails, tuck your pants into your socks and use tick repellent. When you get home, examine your clothes and skin and shower within two hours.

  • Try using walking poles. Not only can they help you stay upright, but also they may engage upper-body and core muscles, take stress off of knees, and improve aerobic endurance. Pick poles that are tall enough so a 90-degree bend forms at your elbow when their tips touch the ground.

flowing stream under a bridge along the sol duc falls trail in olympic national park washington
Brandon Alms

“Walking in nature brings me peace”

“Too often life gets busy and we forget how to take it easy. I walk to clear the cobwebs and reconnect to the person within. Nature soothes my soul like nothing and no one else can, so I concentrate on the sights and sounds along my route. I stop and listen near the brook that runs under the road before it winds its way past my house on the opposite side of our driveway. I pass several fields, which always makes me pause to reflect on how much I enjoy these moments of solitude. My regular route starts and ends with uphill stretches, and I’ve come to accept the physical challenge of the uphill climb to reach the fields and be rewarded with sun and warmth—especially on shorter winter days.

I especially enjoy walks among the trees. I often stop, take a deep breath, and look up when I’m in the woods. In fact, my favorite walk I’ve ever completed was a 50-mile-plus solo hike I did with my dog Miss Jackie before she passed away. We would hike into the afternoon, and then I’d set up camp at a lean-to and get us fed. We were so exhausted each night that we would go to sleep early.

Most of my walks are done alone, but my husband joins me on occasion, and if my daughter is visiting, she’ll walk with me. I never wear headphones or talk on my phone, as this is my chance to unplug. There is so much going on overhead that we miss if we are just walking to get steps in or distracted as we think about our to-do list. Nature soothes my soul and brings me back to a calmer, more relaxed me. Peace in nature is my go-to therapy!”

—Kate Tibbits, Plainfield, NH

Kate is definitely on to something. Yes, walking just about anywhere has its health perks, but walking in nature seems to amplify the benefits. Consider a study led by Gregory Bratman, Ph.D., at Stanford University that compared the effects of walking along a busy urban street with the effects of walking in a more natural setting.

“We wanted to see whether being in nature would reduce rumination—repetitive negative thought focused on oneself, a known risk factor for the onset of depression,” says Gretchen C. Daily, Ph.D., Bing Professor of Environmental Science at Stanford University and coauthor of the study. “We found that study participants randomly assigned to walk in the natural environment experienced lower levels of rumination and showed reduced neural activity in an area of the brain [the subgenual prefrontal cortex] linked to risk for mental illness. The participants walking along the urban street did not experience these benefits.”

Another interesting study found that 15-minute walks that cause a person to feel awe (say, a stunning vista you’ve never looked out over before) are particularly helpful at reducing stress over time. Other research has shown that connecting with nature can help us bounce back from stress and recover from the fatigue we feel after focusing too intently on things. “Nature focuses our attention on ‘softly fascinating stimuli’ like seeing beauty in a landscape or the sky, hearing birdsong or leaves rustling in a breeze, and smelling—even subconsciously—natural fragrances, in a very beneficial way,” Daily says. “The cool thing is that you don’t have to be in the world’s most idyllic city or walk 10 miles for benefits. Even short walks, even in winter, and even seeing just a few trees or a canal or other parts of nature can have a real positive impact.”

dog looking at the camera in a wood path in the beach at sunset
Stocksy

“Walking with my dog brings me joy”

More than 30 years ago I received a little dog as a gift after Hurricane Andrew, so I started going on daily walks, and I’ve been taking them ever since because walking brings me such joy. My current dog, Dibby, joins me for multiple walks a day, but our morning meditative walk is a special one. I use the time to bond with him, review commands using treats, and look and listen for interesting things along our routes.

The area where we live is an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, which is a community that protects wildlife and the environment. We could see a flock of white ibis or hundreds of black grackles flying overhead, or hear a couple of eagles calling out to each other from a nearby nest. We might also cross paths with a rabbit, a gecko, an armadillo, a black racer snake, or an iguana bringing morning salutations.

During these walks I also practice breathing exercises. Box breathing is my go-to method, but I might do pursed-lip breathing followed by diaphragmatic exercises to work on my core stability and posture. I’m always trying different techniques.

If I’m going for a longer walk, I often listen to classical music, books, or podcasts. One of my favorite walks is on Sunday mornings, when I listen to Sunday Baroque with Suzanne Bona. It gives me such joy to walk and look at beautiful nature while I listen.”

—Liz Welch, Bonita Springs, FL

“Paying attention to your breathing while walking can transform the movement into a mindful meditation for a strong mood-boosting effect,” says Heisz. What’s more, it doesn’t take much to transform a normal walk into a mindful, restorative one—just a bit of focus.

To feel the effects for yourself, try box breathing on your next walk: Imagine that there is a box in front of your face and use your finger to trace its border: Breathe in as your finger goes up one side, hold your breath as it goes across the top, exhale as your finger moves down the other side, and hold your breath again as it continues across the bottom to close the rectangle. “Repeat that five to 10 times,” suggests Judy Ho, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and the author of Stop Self-Sabotage. “It’s so visceral, and tracing the box really helps even out your breathing,” she says.

“It’s time to tune in to the present moment—no phone calls or earbuds—and activate my senses,” says Jennifer Walsh, founder of Walk With Walsh and author of Walk Your Way Calm, who loves leading groups on mindful wellness walks. “I take in the sights, the sounds, and the scents and even touch what is around me. These types of walks are known to lower blood pressure, slow heart rate, and alleviate stress and anxiety.” Also, research has found that a mindful nature walk can help improve sleep—and we all feel better when we’re well rested.

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