Five reasons we should all walk every day (and how many steps to do)
Walking: it’s free, it doesn't require fancy footwear and we were born to do it.
A stroll benefits our body and brain in an abundance of ways, which is no doubt why Hippocrates called it “man’s best medicine”, but: why exactly is walking so good for us?
Walking: We can do it anytime, anywhere.Credit:Getty
1. A better night’s sleep
A small new study, published in Sleep Health, found those who walk 7000 steps a day or more reported far better sleep, but even a short walk daily helped.
“There seems to be a two-way relationship,” explains Tim Olds, a professor of health sciences at the University of South Australia. “So, if you’re rested you’re more likely to be physically active and if you’re physically active then you’re more likely to be tired so you’ll sleep better.”
2. Our brains get a boost
New WHO guidelines for the risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia were released earlier this year which suggest walking may be of more benefit for preventing cognitive decline than brain training apps.
Another meta-analysis, published in January, found exercise, including regular walking, improved cognitive function in adults with and without cognitive impairment.
Some experts argue this effect may be because walking coordinates the brain’s two hemispheres and “organises” the nervous system.
However, Professor Olds says: “The more plausible idea has got to do with brain plasticity. Walking seems to facilitate the formation of new synapses; of new brain connections, it seems to increase blood flow to the brain and certain forms of physical activity require a certain amount of mental calculation.”
3. Reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes
As well as helping to improve blood flow (pumping more nutrients and oxygen to our organs), walking increases our heart rate, which can strengthen our hearts and help us manage weight (a risk factor for a variety of chronic diseases).
But how fast we walk makes a difference.
“Walking offers a first-class opportunity to cheaply and easily increase intensity by simply stepping up the pace which has been linked to lower cardiovascular disease risk sharply, especially among people aged 60 and over,” explains Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the University of Sydney. “A walking pace of 130 steps per minute will be high-intensity exercise for most adults; 100 steps per minute is moderate intensity.”
4. Better mood and connection
As well as helping to relieve the physical tension that results from stress, exercise, including walking, it positively affects the parts of the brain responsible for regulating mood.
Literature reviews have found walking helps to alleviate symptoms of depression and, research from Duke University showed exercise is as effective as antidepressants in reducing depression and more likely to reduce the risk of relapse.
“One of the biggest benefits of more people walking more in today’s world would be that communities and the society as a whole would be nicer and more cohesive: people who walk talk to each other and make new acquaintances and friends – people who drive cars scream, honk and swear at each other,” says Professot Stamatakis.
5. Improved longevity
A Harvard study of 16,000 older women from earlier this year found those who walked 4400 steps per day had significantly lower premature mortality compared to inactive women, and the benefits continued up to about 7500 steps, at which point they flatlined.
Separate Australian research found people who hit 8800 steps a day average 30 per cent less time in a hospital than those who manage half that.
So, how much do we need to do?
Think we need to do 10,000 a day? Wrong. This widely adopted “pearl of wisdom” is actually a bit of PR genius from a Japanese pedometer company in 1965. An arbitrary number, there is no scientific evidence 10,000 steps is a magic number that will bestow benefits on us.
Public health guidelines promote at least 30 min of moderate-intensity exercise a day, which translates to 3000-4000 steps.
“The bottom line is there is a continuous relationship so the more steps you do, the better,” says Professor Olds. “If you go from zero to 2000 you get a big improvement, if you go from 2000 to 4000 you still get an improvement but not as big and it’s ongoing from there … People like a number but the reality it’s this continuous smooth curve.”
Is walking better than any other form of exercise?
Not exactly.
“The best things for you are things that are more intense like running. If you look at all-cause mortality – one min of running is about 3.5 minutes of walking,” explains Professor Olds. “The intense stuff is almost always better than the less intense stuff, it's just not everyone can run and not everyone likes to run.”
And walking is an active form of transport we don’t need special clothes for, can do any time and we don’t need to get to and from, like the gym or a yoga class.
“Walking is something everybody can do. You can build it into your life,” Professor Olds says. “Walking will get you there, it will just take a bit longer.”
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