This past summer I was staying with my brother and his wife and they live a very active lifestyle that I got to be a part of. One thing they did everyday that I joined them on was daily walks with their dogs! Spoiler alert: The walks were a game changer that I incorporate in my life even now that I don’t live with them!
The first day I was staying with them, my brother woke me up at probably about 8:00am. Honestly, I wasn’t the most happy at first since I’m a college student and would like to occasionally sleep in during my break. But, I got out of bed and joined to two of them on the walk with their dogs. We were doing this twice a day pretty consistently and eventually I didn’t need a wake up call anymore. I started looking forward to the walks and starting my day with some fresh air instead of scrolling on my phone.
As a dance major I regularly exercise and am sweating in the dance studio on the daily. But this past semester I started walking to class and noticed some awesome benefits! I was getting so much more fresh air and definitely upping my time in the sunshine. There’s just something about being outside that makes me happy (as long as I take my Zyrtec) and it didn’t cost me anything! But don’t take my word for it, let’s look at the facts.
Walking is a great way to help your overall cardiovascular health. Improving your cardio health can increase your stamina, strengthen your heart, and boost your immune system just to name a few benefits! Studies have also shown that walking can improve arthritis related joint pain. Walking outside can also help lessen anxiety, improve sleep, and help boost your creativity!
If you’re looking for an easy way to improve your cardiovascular fitness and want to get outside, try going for a daily walk! Start out small and listen to some music, put on your favorite podcast, or bring a friend and chat! If you give it a try you just might start to feel the science of walking do its magic!
Thanks Andrew, Megan, Napoleon, and Caesar for showing me how great walks really can be!
References
“5 Surprising Benefits of Walking.” Harvard Health, 7 Dec. 2023, http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking.
Chertoff, Jane. “Walking vs. Running: Which Is Better for Your Health?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 30 Mar. 2020, http://www.healthline.com/health/walking-vs-running#weight-loss.
Frysh, Paul. “Health Benefits of Getting Outside.” WebMD, 29 Aug. 2023, http://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-health-benefits-nature.
Comments