Walking makes you happy! (click image for larger version).Walking is not only good for your health but also makes you happier!
Most of us know about the health benefits of walking on our bodies. For example, walking (and exercising in general) raises our heart rates and floods our bodies with feel-good hormones. But until quite recently, scientists had not considered its effect on the flow of blood to the brain, or how that flow might affect our state of mind.
At the same time, many people going out walking and hiking experience a big boost in their mood. So their question was: “Is it true that walking makes you happy?”
An overall sense of wellbeing
After much research scientists now believe that these boosts of blood — and therefore oxygen — to the brain may help clear our heads and lead to an “overall sense of wellbeing during exercise.” For a bit more info about this, see for example this article about why walking makes us feel good.
Only 20 minutes of walking makes you happy already
Even 20 minutes of walking is enough to boost your mood. The combination of a boost of feel-good hormones and connection with nature that’s so essential for us human beings is just the perfect one to make you feel happy!
So don’t hesitate, because even a 20-minute stroll in a place that makes you feel in contact with nature is enough to reduce stress and bring you joy!
Are you ready for more?
Keeping in mind what 20 minutes can already do for your health and happiness, imagine what happens when you go on a walking holiday. There are no scientific studies we know of, but it seems pretty obvious to me that walking every day in beautiful surroundings for hours on end must be very good for you. I can totally imagine that going on a walking holiday even only once a year has profound and long-lasting effects on your state of happiness.
Walk and be happy!
So if you’re inspired and ready to lift yourself up, take a look at some of the walking holidays here in Europe and plan your next happy adventure!
And if you need more evidence of how regular walking keeps you happy and fit, check out this logic:
About Miro
Miro loves going out in nature, alone, in a group, or with his dog Lila. He regularly goes out on multi-day treks in the mountains of Bulgaria. Often he combines hiking with his other passion: foraging for edible mushrooms.