This week, we welcomed warmer temperatures and sunshine! With summer just around the corner, it is a perfect time to focus on one simple act that has immense power: walking. The modern fitness world has spent billions of dollars developing machines and programs in order to keep you fit and healthy, but it doesn’t actually have to be that complicated.
Walking may be the single most beneficial thing you can do for yourself after going to bed earlier and eating better. For instance, a 2007 study out of Japan found that walking in nature led to a decrease in stress response and emotions. They measured heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, pulse, and cortisol as well as subjective measurements of comfort, calm, and relaxation. They found a significant shift in HRV towards the relaxing (parasympathetic) side of the nervous system. Said simply: walking calmed the nervous system. In a world filled with stress, social media, and lack of sleep, walking definitively calmed the body down.
Try going for a walk at least once this week and notice what it does for your mind. Consider taking the whole family!
Check out this video for more details: Mental Health Benefits of Going Outside for a Walk
To get your walk on this summer, join the GRCC employee Walking & Wellness Challenge. We’ll begin May 10 and stroll through the summer until August 27.
Sign up now! Complete the registration form and we’ll be in touch with more details…
The daily employee newsletter of Grand Rapids Community College 