Wellness
Don’t talk the talk, unless you can walk the walk!
Trying to increase your steps is a great way to motivate yourself to move more and to interrupt the time you spend sitting, whether you are reaching for 1000 or 10,000 steps. As a result, it can have a tremendous impact on almost every part of your body.
Here 7 examples of how increasing your steps can improve your wellbeing:
1. It improves your mood
Physical activity triggers the release of key neurotransmitters like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, all of which play key roles in mood control. Move more, get healthier, feel better!
2. It boosts your energy levels
Physical activity is a great way to boost energy levels and fight fatigue as it strengthens the heart and improves circulation.
3. It improves your concentration
Physical activity boosts the release of feel-good hormones (like endorphins) and increases blood flow to the brain, which results in improved cognitive function. Not only do you feel less stressed and anxious when you regularly move, but you are also working toward improving your creativity, productivity, and concentration.
4. Burn calories
Walking can help you burn calories. Burning calories can help you maintain or lose weight.
Your actual calorie burn will depend on several factors, including:
- walking speed
- distance covered
- terrain (you’ll burn more calories walking uphill than you’ll burn on a flat surface)
- your weight
5. Strengthen your heart
Walking at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by about 19 percent. And your risk may reduce even more when you increase the duration or distance you walk per day.
6. Can help lower your blood sugar
Taking a short walk after eating may help lower your blood sugar.
A small study found that taking a 15-minute walk three times a day (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner) improved blood sugar levels more than taking a 45-minute walk at another point during the day.
7. Creative thinking
Walking may help clear your head and help you think creatively.
A study that included four experiments compared people trying to think of new ideas while they were walking or sitting. Researchers found participants did better while walking, particularly while walking outdoors.
The researchers concluded that walking opens up a free flow of ideas and is a simple way to increase creativity and get physical activity at the same time.
Try to initiate a walking meeting with your colleagues the next time you’re stuck on a problem at work.
