The benefits of walking for the heart are numerous! Getting regular physical activity improves the health of your heart. Walking is a great way to be more active every day. The main advantage of walking? It can be practiced by anyone, regardless of your age or physical condition.
How the heart works?
The heart is a muscle which, in order to continue to be in good health for as long as possible, must be called upon.
The role of the heart is to send oxygenated blood to the organs. With increased activity, the heart has to pump more blood by increasing the heart rate.
Walking will therefore increase the heart rate. And in this way, walking puts the heart muscles to work.
Walking therefore trains the heart to become a more efficient and stronger pump. When the heart muscles get stronger, they can then pump more blood with each beat. And so the cycle repeats.
Also note that if you have heart disease, physical activity can help prevent further problems and allow you to live longer and healthier lives.
All the benefits of walking for the heart
Take every opportunity to walk throughout the day and develop good eating habits. Your heart will be more toned and so will you!
Walking is an accessible form of exercise that helps reduce the risk of a heart attack. Studies have shown that walking 30 minutes a day reduces the risk of heart failure by almost 20% .
Walking regularly also improves the way muscles use sugar (thus lowering the risk of diabetes) and increases “good” cholesterol. Two beneficial effects that contribute to the good health of your arteries.
Walking also acts on other enemies of the heart such as high blood pressure (which it lowers), and overweight (which it helps to reduce).
And since it also helps reduce stress, clear your mind, and improve your mood, walking helps reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
So, do you still need arguments to be convinced?
Also read our post on The Benefits of Hiking for Mental Health
Start walking today!
Walking is a free activity, and which can be done without special equipment, all year round! It also has the advantage of causing neither muscle fatigue nor shortness of breath.
If you do not think you are fit enough, increase your pace of walking progressively. You can also alternate several minutes of brisk walking with periods of slower walking.
For physical activity to be effective for heart health, it does not have to be particularly intense. The main part of its profit, however, rests on its regularity.
So go for a hike, take the dog out or take a relaxing walk! With each stride, you will feel all the benefits of walking for the heart!
Also read our article The Many Health Benefits of Regular Walking
What to do when your job involves sitting still?
Sometimes it can be difficult to find time to walk, especially if your job prevents you from doing it during the day. So try to incorporate walking into your routine as much as possible:
- If you’re an early riser, take an early morning walk before you head to work.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Use a pedometer or mobile phone app to track your daily physical activity and set achievable goals to stay motivated. Maybe 10,000 steps a day?
- Recruit your co-workers to go out for a lunchtime walk, weather permitting.
Consider walking for your vacation!
Ever considered going hiking for your next vacation?
Hiking only has advantages! You won’t find a better way to recharge your batteries and reconnect with nature while also being active!
Go hiking with your friends or family and spend some quality time together. While also taking care of your health, you will discover beautiful places together!
No matter what, think about all the benefits of walking for the heart! This year, take care of yourself and go for a walk!
