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 | Cumbria Times Weekend Edition |
1:00 AM 5th April 2023
lifestyle
Celebrate National Walking Day
Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay
Image by Tobias Rehbein from Pixabay
Through this exclusive content series, you can experience a realm of immersive meditation and mindfulness content from across the Atlantic offering a choice of three scenic park backdrops including Zion (Utah), Yosemite (California), and Joshua Tree (California). This collection includes sleepcasts, wind downs in nature and guided meditations from each location, allowing you to step away from the stresses of your day-to-day locale and fully immerse yourself in the walking experience.
Research shows that contact with nature is associated with increases in happiness, positive social interactions and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress. And not only that, but studies have found that participants who listened to nature sounds performed better on demanding cognitive tests than those who listened to urban sounds.
With walking proving to have such a positive impact on mental health, Jenna Glover, VP of Care Services and Licensed Psychologist at Headspace Health comments on why mental health walks are here to stay:
"Many of us understand that taking part in regular exercise and prioritising physical health also offers a broad range of mental health benefits. In fact, studies show that there is a lowered risk of depression among adults who get the recommended amount of physical activity per week (2.5 hours of brisk walking). If you're able to, getting outdoors and going for a walk before work or even during your lunch break is a simple way to move your body and take time to pause.
"Walking outside can also help us connect with nature, which is linked to many mental health benefits. It can lower our stress levels, it can increase our subjective well-being and in some cases provide us with a greater sense of purpose. Incorporating mindfulness into our walks also enables us to reset and be present in the moment, free from unwanted thoughts and distractions. Even a short burst of 10 minutes of brisk walking can increase our mental alertness, energy and improve our mood."
"Many of us understand that taking part in regular exercise and prioritising physical health also offers a broad range of mental health benefits. In fact, studies show that there is a lowered risk of depression among adults who get the recommended amount of physical activity per week (2.5 hours of brisk walking). If you're able to, getting outdoors and going for a walk before work or even during your lunch break is a simple way to move your body and take time to pause.
"Walking outside can also help us connect with nature, which is linked to many mental health benefits. It can lower our stress levels, it can increase our subjective well-being and in some cases provide us with a greater sense of purpose. Incorporating mindfulness into our walks also enables us to reset and be present in the moment, free from unwanted thoughts and distractions. Even a short burst of 10 minutes of brisk walking can increase our mental alertness, energy and improve our mood."
See below for further tips from Headspace on optimising your ‘mindful walks’ this National Walking Day.
Whether you’re taking a walk at home, in the countryside or in the city, take in all the sights, sounds and smells of your immediate setting, particularly those you would not normally notice.
If you’re in the country, pay attention to your senses by noting the different colours of the plants and trees around you, listening for any sounds by the birds up high, and how it feels as the soles of your feet touch the gravel or grass.
Make a point of noticing any physical sensations, such as the warmth from the sun on your skin or the wind brushing your face. Turn your attention to any smells in the natural environment, simply notice, acknowledge, and let go.
If you’re walking in the city, it can be easy to feel distracted by the hustle and bustle of a busy environment. Instead, allow yourself to feel more connected to your body and the world around you. Listen to the sounds of the cars and traffic and observe the high-rise buildings and people walking by. Try not to focus on these things but simply acknowledge what you see, making a mental note of it and moving on.
Observe your stride, your pace, and the rhythm you’re creating with each step. Use that rhythm — the soles of the feet touching the ground — as your base of awareness, a place you can mentally come back to when the mind wanders off. Instead of the object of focus being your breath, as you would do with a sitting meditation, your focus should be the rhythm of your gait. This can help redirect your mind to familiarise yourself with the present moment.
Whether you’re taking a walk at home, in the countryside or in the city, take in all the sights, sounds and smells of your immediate setting, particularly those you would not normally notice.
If you’re in the country, pay attention to your senses by noting the different colours of the plants and trees around you, listening for any sounds by the birds up high, and how it feels as the soles of your feet touch the gravel or grass.
Make a point of noticing any physical sensations, such as the warmth from the sun on your skin or the wind brushing your face. Turn your attention to any smells in the natural environment, simply notice, acknowledge, and let go.
If you’re walking in the city, it can be easy to feel distracted by the hustle and bustle of a busy environment. Instead, allow yourself to feel more connected to your body and the world around you. Listen to the sounds of the cars and traffic and observe the high-rise buildings and people walking by. Try not to focus on these things but simply acknowledge what you see, making a mental note of it and moving on.
Observe your stride, your pace, and the rhythm you’re creating with each step. Use that rhythm — the soles of the feet touching the ground — as your base of awareness, a place you can mentally come back to when the mind wanders off. Instead of the object of focus being your breath, as you would do with a sitting meditation, your focus should be the rhythm of your gait. This can help redirect your mind to familiarise yourself with the present moment.
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