Sitting too long creates problems for our mind as well as our body. Here’s how walking decreases stress & anxiety.

Key Takeaways

The American Heart Association created National Walking Day 10 years ago to encourage us to start walking again in the Spring to improve our health and reduce stress.
Easy, doable tips to encourage you to walk every day to lower stress, improve sleep, lift your mood, and support both mental and physical health.

Ten years ago, a study warned that “sitting is the new smoking”. To draw attention to the easiest answer to the problem, the American Heart Association created National Walking Day on the first Wednesday of April.

Unfortunately, many Americans are walking less than they did then.

In fact, 1 in 4 adults sits longer than 8 hours each day.

This causes an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers – and premature death.

two women walking down the street to reduce stress

A JAMA Internal Medicine study found that 20 minutes of daily physical activity reduces stress and depression. Walking improves our mental wellness, too!

Twenty minutes a day is so doable! And better than medications with side effects.

Here are some easy, breezy ways to have more fun while walking regularly.

Take a dog for a walk.

They need daily exercise, too.

A study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health discovered that dog owners are 34% more likely to reach their fitness goals and get the recommended amount of physical activity than those who don’t have a dog.

Don’t have a dog? Not a problem.

Visit the local SPCA or dog kennel and volunteer to take a homeless pet for a walk.
Do you have an elderly neighbor with a pet pooch? Ask if you can take it for a walk to get exercise.
Have a friend who owns a dog but it’s left at home alone all day while they’re at work? Take their pup for a little fresh air and exercise when you can fit it in you schedule.

Snuggles with a fluffy, exercise, sunshine, a good deed for the day – all the things that bring happiness.

Walk with a human friend.

Your bestie needs more exercise, too.

Meditative walking is a wonderful thing, but taking a stroll or hike with a buddy can make the time pass more quickly.

Arrange a daily walk with a couple of friends in the morning before you start your day.
Walk on your lunch hour with a coworker.
Connect with a family member you’d like more “face time” with.
Not in the same city? Phone them and each walk wherever you are and talk while you walk.
Concerned about walking in bad weather, especially in the winter? My husband and I walk at our local arena every week day. And shopping malls are open every day of the week.

Walking is about more than movement. It reminds us of what is important: health, mental wellness, friendship, connection.

Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being.
Søren Kierkegaard, the first existentialist philosopher