Mumbai: When working long hours at the office, people often find themselves confined to their desks, constantly typing away without much opportunity to move around. However, a sedentary lifestyle with little physical activity is detrimental to health. Studies highlight the importance of incorporating brisk walking into daily routines to combat the harmful effects of prolonged sitting.
Research has long shown that sitting for extended periods—whether it’s watching TV, eating junk food, or working in offices—can lead to various lifestyle-related diseases and increase the risk of premature death. Lead author Edvard Sagelv, a researcher at the Arctic University of Norway, noted that people sitting for more than 12 hours per day had an increased risk of death, whether they were at the office or watching TV.
Sitting for long hours at a desk can take a serious toll on your body, from back pain to reduced energy levels. But there’s a simple, effective way to fight back—regular brisk walks. Studies show that just two hours of walking each day can bring remarkable health benefits, improving mood, boosting heart health, and even sharpening your mind. It’s an easy habit to build into your routine, and the results might surprise you!
What is Brisk Walking?
Brisk walking is a moderate-intensity physical activity that involves walking at a faster pace than your normal stroll but not so fast that it becomes uncomfortable. It’s a simple way to boost your fitness without the intensity of running.
Brisk walking speed
The ideal brisk walking speed is 100 steps per minute (or about 4.8 to 6.4 km/h). This is fast enough to raise your heart rate and get you slightly out of breath but still allows you to hold a conversation. A common rule of thumb is that brisk walking means you’re moving fast enough to feel warm, but you’re not out of breath or overly fatigued.
Benefits of brisk walking
Incorporating brisk walking into your daily routine can do wonders for your physical and mental health, helping to counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
- Boost your mood: Walking can improve your mental health and uplift your mood. The benefits are even greater when you walk through nature, as it can reduce feelings of anger and hostility. Walking with others can also boost happiness by fostering social connections.
- Burn calories and maintain weight: Regular walking can help trim body fat and improve insulin sensitivity. Walking daily can increase your metabolism, burn extra calories, and prevent muscle loss.
- Better heart health: Walking lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Regular walkers have a significantly lower risk of heart-related problems.
- Lower risk of chronic diseases: Walking 8,200 steps a day can reduce the risk of chronic conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Even short post-meal walks can help manage blood sugar levels.
- Reduce stress: Walking is a great stress reliever. It lowers the hormone cortisol, helping you feel calmer. A short walk can reduce anxiety, improve focus, and spark creativity, especially if you walk in nature.
- Improve sleep: Physical activity, like walking, enhances the effects of melatonin, helping you sleep better. Research shows that those who walk regularly experience better sleep quality and duration.
- Boost brain power: Walking stimulates better brain function by improving blood flow, which enhances decision-making and cognitive abilities. It’s especially beneficial for older adults, keeping the brain sharper with age.
- Relieve joint pain: Contrary to what you might think, walking can reduce joint pain by increasing blood flow and strengthening the muscles around your joints. Even short, daily walks can prevent arthritis pain and disability.
- Improve digestion: A daily walking routine helps stimulate bowel movements by engaging your core and abdominal muscles, aiding digestion and preventing constipation.
- Strengthen your immune system: Walking increases immune cells that fight infections, reducing the risk of illness. People who walk regularly recover faster and spend less time in the hospital.
- Protect bone health: Walking helps maintain bone density, particularly in the legs, hips, and spine. Brisk walks can slow down bone loss and are especially beneficial for premenopausal women.
- Spark creativity: Walking is known to boost creativity and problem-solving. Research shows that people tend to think more creatively when walking compared to sitting.
- Increase longevity: Regular walking can add years to your life. Faster walking leads to even greater longevity benefits.
