6 surprising health benefits of walking

1. Enjoy a longer healthier life

Just 11 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, lowers the risk of an early death, according to researchers from the University of Cambridge.

The researchers looked at more than 196 peer-reviewed studies, covering over 30 million people, and found it also reduced the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases and cancer.

2. Make your body feel better

Moving regularly benefits your whole body. It helps ease muscle pain and stiffness, particularly in your lower back, hips and legs. It can also help your balance, which can prevent you from falling and injuring yourself.

Unlike cycling or swimming, walking is a weight-bearing exercise, which means your legs support your weight. This type of exercise is important for slowing bone loss as you age, which can reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

3. Boost your energy and mood

Walking increases your blood flow, helping oxygen and nutrients move around your body, making you feel more alert and refreshed. It can also release natural chemicals that make you feel happy and positive, like serotonin, dopamine and endorphins.

A review of 17 studies by researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that walking in nature improved people’s moods, helping them to feel positive and less stressed and anxious.

4. Get better sleep

A morning walk outside, where you’re exposed to natural light, helps maintain your natural body clock. Walking can also help you relax and reduce stress, which can disrupt your sleep. One small trial of 59 people, published in Sleep Health journal, found that on the days people took more steps, they reported sleeping better and for longer.

5. Keep your mind sharp

When you walk, there’s an increased flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to your brain. A protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (or BDNF) is also released, which stimulates the growth of new brain cells and connections. This can help your memory and brain to work better.

In a trial with 120 people aged 55 to 80, researchers at the University of Illinois compared the effects of walking for 40 minutes, three times a week, with stretching exercises. Over a year, the part of the brain responsible for memory, called the hippocampus, decreased by one per cent in the stretching group but increased by two per cent in the walking group.

6. Improve your immune system

Several studies have shown that walking at a brisk pace can increase the white blood cells in your blood, which are your body’s natural defence against germs and diseases.

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