- Walking is especially beneficial for people going through a tough time
- Strolling through natural settings such as woodlands and mountains best
- One theory is because these areas allows the brain to completely relax and enter into a state of contemplationÂ
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If you’re feeling sluggish, low and hopeless you might want to reach for your trainers, or even head for the woods.
Taking a walk beats stress without the need for drugs such as anti-depressants, according to a new study.
It was especially beneficial for people going through a tough time, such as death of a loved one, becoming unemployed or splitting up with a partner, U.S. researchers found.
Walking can beat stress and boost mood, according to U.S. researchers. They found it was especially beneficial for people going through a tough time, like the death of a loved one or splitting up with a partner
And walking in a natural setting such as woodlands, up in the mountains, or around a beautiful lake might be better for relaxation than in urban settings, they advised.
Professor Sara Warber, of Michigan University in the U.S., said: ‘We hear people say they feel better after a walk or going outside.
‘But [until now] there haven’t been many studies of this size to support the conclusion that these behaviours actually improve mental health and wellbeing.’
She added: ‘Walking is an inexpensive, low risk and accessible form of exercise .
‘And, it turns out that combined with nature and group settings, it may be a very powerful, under-utilised stress buster.
‘Our findings suggest something as simple as joining an outdoor walking group may not only improve someone’s daily positive emotions but may also contribute a non-pharmacological [non-drug] approach to serious conditions like depression.
‘Group walks in local natural environments may make a potentially important contribution to public health and be beneficial in helping people cope with stress and experience improved emotions.’
The findings add to the growing body of research on the benefits of taking a stroll.
Previous studies have found that walking can delay the onset of cancer, help stave off obesity, heart disease and diabetes as well as lowering blood pressure.
HOW TO FIT WALKING INTO YOUR SCHEDULE
Government health recommendations are for us to exercise for 30 minutes daily, for a minimum of five days a week.Â
But you can split the walk into a couple of 15-minute journeys each day or make up for lost time with an extra-long walk at the weekend.
Dr Craig Williams, a sports science lecturer at the University of Exeter says: ‘Where walking beats other forms of exercise is that there are excellent strategies for boosting the amount you do.
‘For example, getting off at an earlier bus-stop than your usual one will add on a two to three minute walk. That may not sound much, but if you do that twice a day, every day, it all adds up.
‘Other tips include walking up a flight of stairs instead of taking the lift. Even a brisk walk around the block for ten minutes in your lunchbreak contributes to your daily walking.’
Walking for 40 minutes a day seemed to increase the size of people’s brains, according to one study, improving their memory and protecting against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
As part of the new research, experts evaluated 1,991 participants from the Walking for Health programme in England.
The programme helps facilitate almost 3,000 weekly walks and draws more than 70,000 regular walkers a year.
They found people who had recently experienced stressful life events like a serious illness, death of a loved one, marital separation or unemployment appeared to see more of a mood boost after outdoor group walks.
Experts said walking in natural settings like a woodland or in the mountains may be especially beneficial, due to a theory which suggests people concentrate better after spending time in nature.
The theory argues that those in peaceful settings are not bombarded with distractions which tax their working memory and attention systems.
As a result, the brain can properly relax and enter a state of contemplation.
Two years ago a study found walking in woodland sparked a 16 per cent increase in attention and memory compared to the same time strolling on a busy street – although both types of walk improved participants’ mood significantly.
Another study showed adults who had not been diagnosed with any illness received a mental boost after an hour-long walk in a woodland park.
Their performance on memory and attention tests was improved by 20 per cent compared with after an hour-long walk in a noisy urban environment.
Walking in natural settings might be more relaxing because there are less distractions for the brain than in urban settings, meaning it can properly relax and enter into a state of contemplation
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