Walk for Your Mental Health: Creating a Routine is Easier Than You Think

Walking is really good for your mental health. It can help reduce stress and anxiety, lower the risk of clinical depression and quiet the mind. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says, “regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being active benefits your mind and body.”

Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week; how you divvy it up is completely up to you. Maybe it’s 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Maybe it’s 22 minutes every day. Moderate intensity means you’ll feel yourself breathing harder and your heart beating faster. Dancing, jogging, brisk walking, swimming, riding a bike or roller skating all fit into the moderate-intensity category. Walking is easy, low-impact and requires no special equipment or pricey membership.   

What are the benefits of walking?

Walking can help strengthen the brain and grow brain cells. And it can keep existing brain cells in tip-top shape. According to a study published in 2021, White Matter Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: The Effects of Aerobic Exercise, walking and other aerobic exercise can “freshen and renovate the white matter in our brains,” meaning we can potentially improve our thinking ability and boost memory as we age, simply by exercising. This is a big deal. The study indicated that, in people who are sedentary, white matter tended to fray and shrink.    

Walking is a mood booster. Taking a nice walk – even just around the block – can increase the blood flow to your brain. This increase triggers a “cascade of changes,” says Marie Pasinski, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. “A cocktail of feel-good neurotransmitters — serotonin, dopamine, endorphins — is released.” You may also boost your vitamin D levels if you walk outdoors, even on a cloudy day. Vitamin D is associated with the production of the mood and memory-benefitting hormone serotonin. 

Better sleep. How can exercise help you sleep better? First of all, it makes you tired. The greater your activity level, the greater your body’s need for sleep. If you’re able to exercise outdoors, it’s even better. Natural light helps set your body’s clock. In other words, it improves the consistency of your sleep-wake cycle. Your body knows when it’s time to wind down and rest, and when it’s time to be energized. Exercise also decreases feelings of anxiety and stress, two of the most notorious sleep thieves.  

Confidence. Exercise and confidence or self-esteem are linked. That’s because what’s good for the body is also often good for the mind. Physiological responses to exercise can increase your self-esteem, by decreasing feelings of anxiety and/or depression. Exercise also increases your sense of accomplishment. Knowing you’ve worked some good exercise into your day feels terrific – it’s an accomplishment.

Lower blood sugar. Want some immediate gratification? While some benefits of a walking regimen can take a few weeks (or more) to appear, others become apparent right away. Diabetic? Test your blood sugar before and after your walk. You’re likely to find a lower number after, and that will feel great.

Healthy weight. Unhealthy weight – being overweight or obese, specifically – is the result of an energy imbalance. More calories are coming in than are being burned. Each person’s daily calorie burn depends on several factors, including age, genetics and body size. Some factors are hard to modify, but others – like physical activity – are much easier to change up. Maintaining a healthy weight can boost self-confidence.

Tips to create a successful walking routine

What’s the best way to tackle a challenge like creating – and sticking to – a walking routine? One step at a time. See what we did there? The great thing about walking is that all you really need to get started is a pair of comfy shoes. You can walk almost anywhere – indoors or out! Here are some tips for starting – and keeping – your walking routine:

Recruit a walking buddy. When you exercise with a friend, you’re likely to keep a more consistent routine. When another person is relying on you to show up, it’s natural to choose not to let them down. It’s positive peer pressure. An exercise buddy might also help your motivation. Mutual encouragement is powerful – you may find yourself walking a little longer or faster. Think about your circle of neighbors, colleagues and friends or look online for walking clubs in your area.

Start slowly. You’ll be more likely to stick with your new walking routine if you start slowly and work gradually toward walking farther, faster or more frequently. Be sure to build a multi-minute, easy walking warm up into each session to get your muscles ready for exercise. Similarly, cool down by walking at an easy pace, for two to five minutes at the end of your walk.

Set walking ‘appointments’ in your calendar. Treat your walking appointment just like you would any other meeting. In other words, don’t miss it, and don’t allow other commitments to take its place. Maybe you’ll walk on Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunchtime. Keeping a regular routine will help you cement your new, healthy habit more quickly.

Listen to something fun. Make a brilliant playlist. Listen to a thriller of an audiobook (pro tip: only allow yourself to listen if you’re walking) or catch up on a great podcast. Time will fly even faster.

Plan for weather. It’s easy to pop out for a walk on a perfect fall day. But what about a humid, 100-degree summer day? Or a dark winter day with a high temp in the teens? This is where your backup plan becomes crucial. Is there a nearby mall? Mall-walking is great, because malls are climate-controlled, sheltered and reasonably secure. You’ll also find benches, water fountains, ramps and stairs in the mall, all of which can add convenience and variety to your walk. 

If you’re new to exercise, here’s a beginner’s eight week walking plan to try, adapted from one designed by Harvard University. Remember to talk with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.