Spring Into Step: 5 Mental Health Benefits of Walking
Lace-up your shoes and spring into step to boost your mental health this spring! In today’s fast-paced world, caring for your mental health is quickly becoming more important than ever.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find the time for self-care when your schedule is jam-packed. But, no matter how full your schedule is, there should always be room for taking care of your mental health.
Finding quick and easy ways to make time for your mind is crucial to maintaining optimal mental health. One great way to do this is by walking! Beyond the many physical benefits it has to offer, the natural form of exercise has a wide array of benefits for your mind! Today, we will be covering five amazing mental health benefits of walking.
Stress Reduction
The research supporting the benefits of mindful exercises, like walking, has boomed in the past few years. Walking is a great form of mindfulness that helps reduce stress.
Boosted Mood
Studies have long supported the mood-boosting effects of exercise. Walking is a low-impact form of movement that can increase your heart rate and boost the body’s happy chemicals, like endorphins.
Enhanced Cognitive Functioning
Walking is a great form of exercise and has been siggested to improve cognitive function, such as enhanced memory, easier decision-making, and other amazing cognitive benefits. It increases the blood flow, endorphins, and selenium in the brain, which allows your cognitive processes to thrive.
Better Sleep Quality
Sleep plays a pivotal role to your overall quality of life. Walking is a great way to improve your sleep hygiene. It balances your circadian rhythm, tires the body, and promotes relaxation. This can allow you to get the quality sleep you need.
Boosted Self-Esteem
From boosting your feelings of accomplishment to allowing some space for self-reflection and boosting your mood, there are a lot of reasons why walking boosts self-esteem. Your self-esteem impacts your quality of life, affecting your social interactions, work life, perspective of the world, and everything in between.
Your mental health should be a top priority in your life. If you have been experiencing mental health struggles, we are here for you. Our caring and empathetic therapists will work to get you on the path to healing.
Alongside therapy, building a healthy routine is a great way to care for and maintain your mental health. Incorporating simple self-care acts, like walking, into your daily routine is an effective way to do this. So, lace up your shoes and get moving toward a healthier mindset today!
While walking is a great form of exercise and can boost your mental health in many ways, it is not a magical cure-all solution. If your mental health is struggling, you may want to consider reaching out to a mental health professional. We are here for you. Contact us today.
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6064756/
Keywords: Mental health, meditation, exercise, therapy