May is National Walking Month, but we can all reap the benefits of walking every day, regardless of the month. Walking is accessible for many, free of charge and an important way to stay healthy. It is now also widely accepted that spending time in nature can improve our mental well-being. In fact, it was Hippocrates who said ‘If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk’.
A gentle form of cardiovascular exercise, walking, can support heart health, build muscle strength, and much more. Research has found that walking offers significant health benefits that are often underestimated. Some of these include:
Reduces stress and anxiety
While walking in any environment supports mental health and increases physical activity, nature walks provide superior benefits. Research shows that walking in natural settings is particularly effective at reducing stress and anxiety levels while also slowing heart rate, making green spaces the clear winner for overall wellbeing.
Supports bone health
Walking is a weight-bearing exercise that helps maintain bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. It also improves balance and coordination, which becomes increasingly important as we age to prevent falls.
Improves energy levels
When you walk, your heart rate increases and circulation improves, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and brain. This enhanced blood flow helps you feel more alert and energised right away.
Boosts brain activity
Studies have found that walking supports both creative thinking and problem solving as it provides time for reflection and mental clarity. It should be noted that walking outdoors improved the results when it came to creativity.
Due to the wealth of benefits, walking is now being recommended as a 'nature prescription' by GPs and other health professionals. Research involving 20,000 people was carried out to determine how much time outdoors should be recommended to reap the maximum benefits for health and wellbeing, enabling doctors to provide specific, evidence-based prescriptions. The magic number? Just two hours a week. This simple, accessible recommendation proves that the path to better health doesn't require expensive gym memberships or complex fitness regimes – sometimes the most powerful medicine is simply putting one foot in front of the other, outdoors in nature.
So, grab your Haskapa energy bites (click text for recipe) and organise a good walk with friends!
Research
Chen, Lunxin, et al. “City Walk or Nature Walk? Evidence-Based Psychological and Physiological Outcomes - a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 1 Feb. 2025, pp. 128726–128726, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128726.
M, Oppezzo, and D Schwartz. “Give Your Ideas Some Legs: The Positive Effect of Walking on Creative Thinking.” Psycnet.apa.org, 2014, psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0036577.
Manson, JoAnn E., et al. “A Prospective Study of Walking as Compared with Vigorous Exercise in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Women.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 341, no. 9, 26 Aug. 1999, pp. 650–658, https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199908263410904.
White, Mathew P., et al. “Spending at Least 120 Minutes a Week in Nature Is Associated with Good Health and Wellbeing.” Scientific Reports, vol. 9, no. 1, 13 June 2019, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3.