The Benefits Of Daily Ten-Minute Walks

One of the most effective forms of exercise for sustainable, long-term results requires no expertise to do, no expensive equipment, and can be done just about anywhere. A brisk ten-minute walk done throughout the day can lead to some extraordinary results for your mental and physical well-being. This blog will explain the many benefits of ten-minute walks and how you can easily incorporate them into even the busiest of schedules. 

Brisk Walks

Let’s begin with what we mean by a brisk walk. Generally speaking, we’re looking at a pace of about 3-4 miles per hour so you’ll cover around half a mile in that time. There are multiple ways to go about this, but if you want to keep things very simple, just set a timer for five minutes and begin your walk. Once the timer goes off, turn back and you’re done. As for when and how often, three times a day is ideal. At the start and end of the day or after meals are excellent times to get your walks in. 

Another great thing about short, frequent walks is that they are sustainable. We’ve all made unrealistic exercise pledges in the past only to see that expensive piece of cardio equipment become a glorified drying rack. Short walks don’t require any serious commitment to stick to and boredom won’t come into either. Thirty minutes on a treadmill will test the will of even the most committed exerciser but a brisk walk requires very little willpower.

10 minute walks

Walks are Easy

So it’s easy to start and stick to, but what exactly are the benefits of doing so? 

For one, it can improve clarity and concentration, making a morning stroll a particularly effective way to begin the day. A ten-minute walk at the end of the day can improve sleep and lower stress. Studies have also shown that frequent walking can help lower blood pressure. If you prefer to take your steps after meals, then you’ll be pleased to learn a short walk is good for digestion and can prevent indigestion and acid reflux.

For those of us who sit throughout the day, walks throughout the day are a good way of mitigating the joint and lower back pain that comes from prolonged sitting (be sure to follow our tips on improving sitting posture to help further). 

One More Benefit…

Finally, walking often can be a useful part of weight management. Walking was the most common form of exercise among subjects who lost weight and kept it off in a 2008 study of physical activity by the National Weight Control Registry. To be clear, walking is just one part of a healthy lifestyle but given the multiple benefits that come at such a low cost of time and effort, why wouldn’t you? There’s no time like the present.

As part of our complete and long-term approach to health and wellness at Genesis, we can help you navigate the sometimes confusing world of fitting the right level of exercise with your lifestyle and offer advice specifically tailored to your needs. Contact us here for a consultation with our chiropractor. Or give us a call at 215-343-3223.

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