When a mental boost is needed, try skipping the coffee and energy drinks and head out the door for a walk.
Recent studies are showing that those who do simple steady exercise like walking not only become more fit and loose weight; they also find that walking is good for mental skills.
There are the obvious benefits of being able to get away from stress and distractions, which can clear the mind. There is peacefulness when walking down a wooded path, walking in a quiet park, or through the desert in the winter. No matter where a person walks, even in a busy city or in a noisy park, mental skills can improve after a walk. This happens because there are some physiological changes that occur when a person walks or participates in physical activity. This is what is happening to your body when you walk:
• Adrenaline is released (with aerobic exercise)-adrenaline affects the nervous system and boosts mood
• Endorphins are released-endorphins relieve pain and promote a sense of well-being
• Physical exercise aids in sleep-restful nights affect mental clarity
• Mental drive improved-walking deepens self-will and motivation
Another plus is that the benefits continue after the exercise ends and after cool down. Your walks don’t have to be long or once a day. There can be several short walks. Walking at a brisk pace will temporarily increase your heart rate and breathing (aerobic exercise).
Walking alone can have the following positive affects:
• Allows time to pray, contemplate, and meditate
• Stress reduction
• Generate ideas (bring a notepad to jot down ideas notes)
• Be creative in thought
• Clear mind
• Problem solve
Walking with a friend, family member, or walking group has the following positive affects mentally as conversations with others will stimulate new thought and encourage problem solving. Conversations on current events will stimulate the brain. Listening to others encourages focus skills to strengthen.
Cognitive decline may be slowed with walking, especially in women. Walking a mile a day can contribute to reducing the risk of memory loss and other declines in mental function.
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) recommends walking. It is just not retired people who see the need for a healthier mind and desire to be more alert, so everyone can benefit from walking.
Walking in the Stepgym toning shoe will maximize the calories burned and improve fitness quicker due to the ergonomic and scientific design of the Stepgym shoe.
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