You’re probably spending a lot more time at home these days due to coronavirus. That means you’re likely sitting more than usual, binge-watching your favorite shows or scrolling through your phone. To break these sedentary habits, it’s a good idea to get out and go for a walk. Walking is a low-key exercise that brings a number of health benefits. 

“Now, more than ever, it’s so important to find a way to get moving,” says Ralph Navarrete, a marathon runner, and running and fitness coach at Formula Running Center. Getting in the habit of walking is simple, but not always easy, he adds, “The thought of getting up from your comfortable position can be mentally draining in itself, but walking is an activity that has been proven consistently to have physical and mental benefits.” 

The American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination of the two. But, Navarrete says any amount of walking is good for you. 

“You have to take into account everything around you and all of your habits—sleep, nutrition, and physical activity,” he explains. “The keys to seeing benefits are identifying what you’re trying to achieve, whether it’s general physical health or a mental break, and what it’ll take to get there.” 

Walking is an easily accessible, affordable exercise that you can do just about anywhere. Plus, it’s free. There are also numerous mental and physical health benefits of walking.

15 Benefits of Walking

1. Walking boosts cardio endurance

Regular walks will improve your cardiovascular endurance, Navarrete says. So, you’ll easily progress to more rigorous physical activity, like running. “As a runner, I use walking breaks during interval workouts to allow the body to recover between more strenuous periods of running,” he explains.  

2. It lowers blood pressure

“Walking can have an immediate positive effect on blood pressure,” says Janet Bezner, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association, and national board-certified health and wellness coach. According to Cleveland Clinic, people who walk regularly tend to have lower instances of heart attacks and stroke, lower blood pressure and higher levels of healthy cholesterol. 

3. Walking eliminates stiffness and joint pain

Walking gets the whole body moving, which increases blood flow, Navarete says, “As I’ve been working from home since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been sitting at my desk more, so walking has helped reduce the stiffness in my lower back and soreness in my calves.” 

Research has also shown that walking protects the joints, which could keep you from developing arthritis, according to Harvard Medical School. And, if you do get arthritis, walking may help relieve the pain. 

4. Walking promotes brain health

Walking is good for your brain, too: It can reduce instances of dementia and lower your risk for Alzheimer’s. Bezner says, “Your mental processing speed is improved, so you can just respond more quickly, think better, your memory is better, executive functions improve. Executive function would include mood and just the ability to be mindful and to know how to respond in the moment.” 

5. It reduces the risk for certain cancers

Physical activity has been linked to cancer prevention, Bezner explains. Specifically, walking could lower the risk for bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, kidney, lung and stomach cancers. So, that’s a good reason to get moving. 

6. You’ll see improved bone health

Walking is a weight-bearing exercise, meaning you’re up on your feet, moving and working against gravity. That helps improve bone health, Bezner says, which is something that’s important as you age since bones get weaker as you grow older. Walking also improves balance and coordination, and helps protect you against osteoporosis. 

7. Walking gives you time for self-care

With the pandemic, working from home, taking care of kids, virtual learning and everything else going on today, it’s easy to neglect yourself. Navarrete says talking time to walk lets you step away from distractions at home and practice self care. “You can go for a walk and finally listen to that audiobook, podcast, or new Taylor Swift album you’ve been meaning to play,” he adds. 

8. It will help you sleep

Sleep is something we all need more of, and walking helps boost sleep hormones, like melatonin. “If you went out and walked today, you would likely see improvement in your sleep tonight,” Bezner adds. “So, it’s pretty immediate.” 

Walking will also improve your sleep quality and help you stay energized when you’re awake, according to Cleveland Clinic. 

9. Walking will help you maintain a healthy weight

Weight management is another health benefit of walking, says Bezner. Regular walks can help you maintain your healthy weight and also help you lose weight. According to Cleveland Clinic, walk just 30 minutes a day, and you’ll see results.  

10. Walking curbs anxiety

Walking, or any physical activity really, is good for your mental health, too. Bezner says it improves your brain’s ability to function, and research shows walking can reduce instances of anxiety and depression. 

11. Walking helps relieve stress

Along with helping you feel less anxious, walking can also alleviate stress. According to Cleveland Clinic, walking releases endorphins, which can improve your mood. Plus, going for regular walks will make you feel physically better, which also offers mental health benefits.

12. You’ll get an immunity boost

Walking has been shown to keep you from getting sick with the cold or flu, and walkers who do get sick tend to have milder symptoms and get well sooner. “In general, the more physically fit you are, the stronger your immune system is,” Bezner says. “Being outdoors, getting fresh air, it’s good for everybody, good for your soul, good for your mind, good for your body, and it breaks up the sitting for sure.” 

13. Walking may reduce your sugar cravings

If you have a sweet tooth or like to snack throughout the day, walking more may help you curb your cravings. A study by the University of Exeter found that 15-minute walks reduced the amount of chocolate people ate by half, and they were better able to regulate their daily sugar intake.  

14. Walking makes you more creative

When you take a break and go for a walk, you’ll probably feel refreshed and calmer. Researchers at Stanford University found that walking sparks creative thinking and inspiration. “If you’re someone like me who hammers away at a computer all day, stepping away can increase your creativity or allow you to come back feeling fresh with a new perspective,” Navarrete says. 

15. It’ll help you feel more productive

The many health benefits of walking, including helping you feel more creative, improved brain cognition, and general overall physical and mental health and wellness could also help you be more productive at home or work.  

To get started walking, Navarrete suggests making walking a habit by setting an hourly timer to get up and move, and starting off easy with just a five or 10-minute walk and then progressing. “Find ways to remove excuses and barriers that are holding you back from getting up and walking,” he adds. 

As someone who picked up running as an adult, I never had a running coach or was a part of a high school track or cross country team. So, everything I’ve learned about the sport has been from, well, just getting out there and running. For the most part, I’ve been able to lace up my UA HOVR™ Machina LT Running Shoes ($160), head out for a run, and pick up the skills I’ve needed to help me get to my goals. But one particular part of running always eluded me: breathing.

Now, I’ve known how you breath during runs and building up lung capacity are both important parts of running. But I’ve never known where to start. To help me understand the ins and out of breathing while running I asked Danielle Hirt, NASM personal trainer, RRCA certified running coach, and running coach at Formula Running Center for some pointers. And as it turns out, there’s so much more to strengthening my lungs and learning to breathe than I imagined.

What is lung capacity really?

Put simply, Hirt explained lung capacity is the amount of air your lungs can hold. The more air you can hold, the more oxygen your body can send into your bloodstream and thus to your muscles when they need it during aerobic activities — like running.

“Running is an aerobic activity that requires oxygen to function,” she noted. “When we run, our muscles contract; this contraction is made possible by a chemical form of energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As we continue to run it is important that our cells and muscles are able to receive more oxygen in order to continue producing ATP. Without oxygen the cells cannot continue to support the demands of running.”

Essentially, runners need to learn to breathe properly so they can get as much oxygen into the bloodstream and to the working muscles as possible.

Does it matter what kind of runner I am?

Really all kinds! Both distance runners and sprinters need to be able to inhale large amounts of oxygen in order to perform their sport well.

“Where the athletes differ is when they perform sport specific exercises,” Hirt explained.

“Sprinters will use less oxidative energy sources when performing a 100M sprint — around two percent of the energy used during a sprint comes from oxidative energy sources — compared to distance runners who draw 90 percent or more of their energy from the oxidative energy system,” she added. “When sprinters take off from the blocks the first energy system to be drawn on is oxidative, so if that system is not strong, the sprinter is already behind on their potential.”

How can I improve my breathing with exercise?

“Runners can use cross training as a way to strengthen their lungs,” said Hirt. “Interval training is a great way to get benefits without adding an additional day of running into your schedule.” Plus, interval training is a great way to push your aerobic threshold and improve your overall lung capacity, Hirt added. She suggested opting for 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off on the elliptical, bike, or rower. If you don’t have access to machines, this mini interval workout completing a 10-minute warm up of dynamic stretching and a quick five-minute walk will also work.

• • 20 seconds of burpees with 10 seconds of rest. Repeat four to eight times.
  • 20 seconds of mountain climbers with 10 seconds rest. Repeat four to eight times.
  • 20 seconds jumping jacks with 10 seconds rest. Repeat four to eight times.

How can I practice my breathing techniques when I’m not breaking a sweat?

The good news is that although working on lung capacity does require some thought and attention while training, Hirt explained there are some breathing exercises you can do when you’re working out.

Some as simple as diaphragmatic breathing is effective. Breathing from your diaphragm, or the dome-shaped muscle at the base of your lungs designed for breathing, can be instrumental in helping to train your lungs to take in more oxygen.

“Practice this breathing in a seated position,” explained Hirt. “Place one hand at the base of your lungs — bottom of ribs and above stomach — and the other hand on your chest. Take in a deep breath and feel both hands rise. Inhale through your nose for a count of two. Exhale through slightly opened mouth for a count of two.” Continue this breathing sequence six to 10 times, making sure that it’s your abdomen that’s rising and not just your chest

Another option, is to try this same breath laying on your back. “As you practice more, you will be able to increase the counts on each inhale and exhale, working up to a 10 count for each,” added Hirt.

Lastly, Hirt noted that a holding-your-breath exercise is also a great tool. “Take in a deep breath and hold for 10 seconds,” she said. “Resist the urge to hold air in your cheeks and instead focus on filling up the belly and lungs.” Release the breath slowly and repeat four to six times.

Bottom line: Practicing breathing and building lung capacity is vital to any running program. But, as Hirt noted, it’s not just runners who should concentrate on building lung capacity. Building a strong aerobic system is helpful for day to day tasks and can keep you healthy and active in general in life, Hirt added. “Lung capacity begins to deteriorate in our thirties, so taking time to focus on breathing is something everyone can benefit from,” she noted.