Walk your way to BETTER MENTAL HEALTH

Not just beneficial for our bodies, putting one foot in front of the other is key to a healthy mind

- NATALIA LUBOMIRSKI

Walking is the unsung hero of the fitness world. You can do it anytime, anywhere, and it doesn’t cost a thing. Plus, the health benefits are endless. And we don’t just mean the ability to burn 400 calories an hour, tone your legs, bum and tum, and strengthen your heart and bones. Rambling also ticks the box when it comes to improving our mental and emotional wellbeing.

‘Our brains and bodies are built for movement,’ says neuroscientist Shane O’Mara in his book In Praise of Walking*. ‘It improves our thinking, feeling and creative selves, as well as improving our health.’ Ladies, it’s time to lace up…

The science behind walking

So why is it so good for us? Walking increases blood flow to our brain, which is linked to better cognitive function and protects against decline. ‘Regular walking acts as a brake on the ageing of our brains,’ explains Shane. ‘It mobilises changes in the structure of the brain, strengthening it in ways similar to how muscles are strengthened when worked.’