It’s SPRING! Never mind the occasional April flurries some folks are still getting (here’s looking at you, NYC)—the weather outside is getting generally more pleasant as we inch towards June.
With each new beginning comes the opportunity to start new habits, and one new habit that we all should start if we haven’t already, is taking a daily walk. Whether it’s a lunch-break lap around the block, walking somewhere you’d normally drive (post office, a nearby friend’s house, work if you’re lucky enough to live that close), or a leisurely stroll with a friend or your honey after dinner, taking a walk is REALLY good for you. Plus, it’s easy, you don’t need any special equipment, and you can do it anywhere! Here are some of the many mental benefits of a daily walk:
You’ll feel happier. Walking, even for as little as 12 minutes, will make you feel more joyful and excited. If you’re walking with someone, you’ll have the added benefit from feelings of connectedness and if you’re walking outside, you’ll benefit from sunshine and fresh air. But even if you’re walking on a treadmill facing a blank wall, you’ll experience the mood lifting benefits, according to a 2016 study!
You’ll be more creative. "Researchers administered creative-thinking tests to subjects while seated and while walking and found that the walkers thought more creatively than the sitters," says Melina B. Jampolis, MD, author of The Doctor on Demand Diet. Start going for lunchtime walks and you might find that you come up with solutions to problems you’ve been working on in the afternoons, when people typically start to lose interest or become distracted or tired!
You’ll feel calmer and ready-for-anything. According to a 2015 study, taking lunchtime walks left participants feeling “considerably more enthusiastic, less tense, and generally more relaxed and able to cope than on afternoons when they hadn’t walked and even compared with their own moods from a morning before a walk.” Who doesn’t want that?!
There are so many great reasons to take more walks! Keep your Hood to Go in your bag or at your desk at work and start a new walking routine, rain or shine. You, along with your family, friends, and colleagues may all benefit from a more creative, less stressed, and happier you!
P.S. Hood to Go is available on Amazon.com now, too! Use your Prime account and have one ready for your walking routine in just two days.
Sources:
The Benefits of a Lunch Hour Walk
Walking Can Lift Your Mood Even When You Don't Expect It
7 Incredible Results You'll Get From Walking 30 Minutes A Day