After a stressful day at work, you may just want to curl up with a book or take a relaxing bubble bath. Although these two activities can be great stress relievers, taking a walk has tremendous benefits, both physical and mental. Not only will the visual stimulation lift your spirits, as with any exercise, you’ll be releasing endorphins.
Walk outside. When you’re outdoors, nature, fresh air, and visual stimulations can lift your spirits. Pleasant images of flowers, the neighbor’s garden, a passing hello, or a dog on a walk will provide an uplifting diversion from what stresses you.
Reduce stress. Exercise can reduce depression while relieving stress and walking is no exception. When we walk briskly, we release endorphins, which create happy feelings. It also increases norepinephrine,a chemical that moderates our stress response.
Go with a friend. Simply being with a friend can make us feel better and talking out our problems can help us to get clarity. Why not combine the two and bring together exercise,socialization, and stress relief?
Recharge your brain. A walk can act as a form of meditation, which has proven to reduce stress, improve memory and increase productivity.In addition, cardiovascular exercise helps to create new brain cells and improve brain performance.
So, if your day did not go as planned, don’t reach for the glass of wine. Put on your sneakers and head outside instead.
You might just be surprised about how much better you feel!
"After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value." George Macauley Trevelyan