11 little known health benefits of walking just 15 minutes each day

As a society, we’ve become more sedentary as jobs increasingly require people to sit in front of a computer most of the day.

While technology has made our lives easier in many ways, it’s part of the reason for widespread obesity, heart disease, and other causes of early death.

Even if you eat well and maintain a healthy weight, you automatically have an increased health risk if your job requires you to sit at a desk.

So what’s the solution? It’s as easy as putting one foot in front of the other.

Walking: A near-perfect exercise

New exercise trends can be fun and exciting, but the four million-year-old one has so many benefits that health experts across the globe recommend it. Walking requires no special skills, has a low risk of injury, is convenient, appropriate for all ages, and it’s free!

You can even get paid to walk through various apps. The British Journal of Sports Medicine’s special edition, dedicated exclusively to walking, concluded that regular, brisk walks contribute to a long and healthy life.

11 health benefits of 15-minute daily walks

Incorporating regular 15-minute brisk walks into your life brings a long list of rewards.

There’s no shortage of scientific evidence that illustrates the physical and mental benefits of this seemingly simple form of exercise.

1. Jumpstart a more active lifestyle

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 15 percent of American adults are physically inactive. 

Walking for 15 minutes is an achievable goal that people can easily incorporate into their life and use as a springboard to a more active lifestyle. 

For people who don’t or rarely exercise, regular walks can improve resting blood pressure, the body’s management of dietary fat, and increase insulin sensitivity.

2. Improve your fitness

So, based on an evaluation of published studies, a total of seventy to ninety minutes of brisk walking a week can actually improve your fitness and make everyday activities easier.

If you’re wondering how fast you should be walking, it’s as easy as walking to the beat of “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees or “‘I’ve Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas.

3. Better cardiovascular health

Sitting at a desk all day restricts blood flow to your legs, increasing heart attack and stroke risk factors. Did you know that regular 15-minute walks can actually help safeguard your arteries?

A study of more than 50,000 people found that regular walks lead to a lower risk of heart disease and early death.

4. Ease joint pain

If you experience pain in your joints, exercise may be the last thing on your mind. It turns out that several studies prove that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, especially in the knees and hips.

Walking activates the body’s own joint protection by lubricating joints and strengthening the supportive muscles.

5. Relieve and prevent lower back pain

Walking is also one of the most overlooked ways to relieve current back pain and help prevent future flair-ups. That’s because this simple exercise can eliminate some of the adverse effects of sitting, while at the same time stretching out the tight muscles and strengthening the weak muscles that cause lower back pain.

“Walking, even for short periods of time, is very effective at reducing and even eliminating lower back pain. Tight iliopsoas muscles are a common cause of lower back pain and just getting up from a seated position and beginning to walk lengthens these muscles,” says Dr. Peter J. Scordilis, a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician at Scordilis Family Chiropractic. Continuing to walk activates your gluteal and lower core muscles, taking stress off the QL muscle, another source of back pain.”

6. Advance brain health

While it’s well known that movement is good for the body, it’s also good for the brain. Shane O’Mara, Professor of Experimental Brain Research, explores this idea in his latest book, “In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration.” 

He writes that “aerobic exercise supports the widespread production of key molecules that act to keep the brain in good working condition.”

He’s not talking about going to the gym for one hour and then returning to a sedentary lifestyle. 

He says, “Our bodies and brains are designed for and need lots of regular movement throughout the course of the day. Walking is an easy solution our brains adore and benefit from. Regular, reliable, rhythmic, up-tempo walking throughout the day stimulates the production of molecules promoting brain health.”

7. Reduce anxiety and depression

The Royal College of Psychiatrists sums it up nicely when stating that, in a broad sense, the less you do, the more likely you’ll have a poor mood, depression, or tension.  Keeping active lessens the chance you’ll be depressed, anxious, tense, or generally feel bad about yourself.

Regular walks, especially outdoor ones, bring real improvements in these areas.  Many scientific studies show that walking can help prevent or help treat anxiety and depression, lifting your overall mood.

8. A creative boost

Over a hundred years ago, Nietzsche wrote, “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking,” and studies have proved it true.

Stanford University researchers recommend that you brainstorm during a 15 to 20-minute walk, as you’ll generate twice as many ideas as sitting at your desk.

So if you need to give your ideas legs, walking can boost creative ideation both in real-time and shortly after.

9. Get a better night’s sleep

Michael Mosley, M.D., recommends morning walks for their numerous benefits.  It’s a great way to start your day, boost your mood, and prime your body for a good night’s rest. On his podcast, he said, “Light brings your body clock forward. 

“So in the evening, when you want to go to sleep, your body is ready for it. If you’re struggling to sleep at night, it could be because you’re not getting enough bright light in the morning.”

10. Fight off sweet cravings

Who knew that a 15-minute walk could also help tame a sweet tooth? Two published studies found that short, brisk walks can curb chocolate cravings and reduce the amount of chocolate eaten in stressful situations.

The results showed that if you tend to grab other types of sugary snacks, it reduces sweet cravings beyond just chocolate.

11. Healthier communities

Whether you’re walking at work on your lunch break, walking around your block, or in a local park, the chances of social interaction are heightened, which benefits everyone.

Lately, we’ve learned firsthand the importance of social, well-connected groups.  Studies show that even the short interactions that happen when people are out walking help contribute to happier and healthier communities.