In this era of information explosion and everyone is committed to the pursuit of growth, many of the latest health solutions are emerging one after another. However, the most effective method may actually be very simple and has been heard for a long time. One of them is "walking".
Human beings have been practicing moving their bodies with their feet open since ancient times. They have long been accustomed to this skill and may even think it is nothing special. However, if you have a deeper understanding of the benefits of walking on physical and mental health, you may want to spend more time walking. The foreign sports column RUNNER’S WORLD collects the opinions of major studies and experts to explain the three main reasons why walking is the best health habit.
1. Control and stabilize blood sugarSome studies have shown that even just taking a leisurely walk for 10 minutes after eating can help control post-meal blood sugar levels.
Exercise physiologists further explain that after we eat, the stomach will break down the food we have eaten and begin to release sugar into the blood for muscle use. Walking can activate muscles, promote sugar use, and prevent blood sugar from soaring.
If you want to increase the effect of controlling blood sugar, you can try to speed up and increase the pace. Data shows that people who walk at a speed of less than 3.2 kilometers per hour can reduce the risk of diabetes by about 15%; people who walk quickly at a speed of 4.8 to 6.4 kilometers per hour can reduce the risk by 24%; and people who walk faster than 6.4 kilometers per hour can greatly reduce the risk by 39%.
Sleep medicine experts also said that walking is a low-intensity exercise that can be done every day, and it is also an effective method to improve sleep quality.
Walking consumes physical energy and increases sleepiness at night. It can also stimulate the secretion of melatonin and reduce insomnia and sleep disruption.
If you find it difficult to fall asleep, you might as well try not swiping your phone before going to bed, stay away from the screen as much as possible when the night gets late, and go for a walk outside. The natural light outdoors will send a signal to the body to remind you that the rest time is coming. Try to feel whether it will make it easier to sleep at night after reducing 3C stimulation.
3. Weight managementThe speed and distance you walk will affect how many calories you burn. Any physical activity can help burn calories and lose weight, so don’t think that walking has no effect.
A study found that overweight women who walked at moderate intensity for 50 to 70 minutes, three times a week for 12 weeks, not only reduced abdominal fat, but also improved their fasting blood sugar levels, while the data of another group of control groups who maintained a sedentary lifestyle did not change.
Other potential benefits of walking include stabilizing mood, reducing the risk of dementia, etc. Most importantly, walking can be started immediately and does not require any special skills or expensive equipment. You only need to prepare a pair of comfortable shoes, or walk barefoot on a clean beach when the temperature is cooler.
If you find it difficult to set aside 30 minutes to walk at first, you can use fragmented time first, such as taking 15 minutes to walk home while on the phone or after get off work. If possible, walking with your family or dog will make the process more interesting.