Several years ago, I was watching a Today Show segment about helping your children and teens create healthy habits. The subject of the piece was a notable nutritionist whose kids were reluctant to eat their greens and work up a sweat. The most memorable quote came from one of her preteens, who said, “Walking makes me sad.”
Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Walk
Breaking up your day by going outside can boost your mood, brainpower, and creativity.
February 02, 2021
Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images
Summary.
Walking is one of the simplest and most strategic things you can do for yourself. It takes little preparation, minimal effort, no special equipment, and it can contract or expand to fit the exact amount of time you have available. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a single bout of moderate-to-vigorous activity (including walking) can improve our sleep, thinking, and learning while reducing symptoms of anxiety. When we go for a walk, we perform better on tests of memory and attention; our brain cells build new connections, staving off the usual withering of brain tissue that comes with age; we can actively change the pace of our thoughts by deliberately walking more briskly or by slowing down; and our attention is left to meander and observe, helping us generate new ideas and have strokes of insight.