Whether you walk to work or simply take a stroll around the neighborhood at night, walking is a great way to improve your health in a relaxing, enjoyable way. Here are just a few of the health benefits of walking — and reasons why you should incorporate more walking into your daily routine.
- It improves your cardiovascular health. While many people think of running when they think of cardiovascular exercise, the moderate exercise of walking also lowers blood pressure, prevents obesity, and helps improve your overall cardiovascular health.
- It improves your mental health. Like all exercise, walking helps improve your mental health and reduces stress by taking you outside and away from your usual routine.
- It regulates your weight. You might think that you need to exhaust yourself in order to lose weight, but that’s not necessarily true. Moderate exercises, like walking, also help maintain a healthy weight.
- It reduces the risk of cancer. Surprisingly, the health benefits of walking also help to prevent certain types of cancers, including breast and colon cancer.
- It reduces the risk of diabetes. Walking regularly can even prevent non-insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes.
The Benefits of Walking [American Heart Association]
Walking…A Step in the Right Direction! [NIH]
Walking: Your Steps to Health [Harvard]
