It doesn’t take much effort to start an exercise routine that can be beneficial to your health. If you’re struggling getting started with something that might feel too intense to start, get things going by just committing to walk regularly.
Walking improves your health across your entire body and is a great alternative to staying sedentary.
University Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at six benefits of walking regularly.
- Give Yourself More Energy
Studies show that walking for a half hour five days per week give people more energy to get through their day along with a general feeling of being healthier and more confident as well.
- Boost the Immune System
Immune system health has taken precedence over the past two years, and walking 20 or more minutes per day five days a week has tangible benefits on your immune system. One study found that people doing so spent 43% fewer days sick than those who exercised one day a week or less.
- Sleep Better at Night
Any sort of exercise is going to allow your body to feel more tired when it comes time to sleep, and walking is no exception.
- Curbs Cravings for Sweets
It’s believed that the release of endorphins (hormones that make you feel good) that occurs during exercise is responsible for your body craving fewer foods that are bad for you.
- Lowers Risk of Chronic Disease
Being fit is going to put you at lower risk for heart disease and diabetes. Walking 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week can markedly lower your risk of heart disease while getting in just 3,500 steps a day can drop your diabetes risk by nearly a third.
- Good for Your Brain
Studies show that around two hours of walking over the course of a week can increase the regions of the brain that are used for memory and planning, and that amount of walking can also reduce your risk of suffering a stroke by up to 30%.
To learn more about University Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://university-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.
