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If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve noticed that longevity is the health and wellness topic of the moment. The idea? To simply live a long and healthy life. Of course, the list of options and products to help you do just that seems endless. Regardless, it’s important to know that experts say that longevity is not a trend, but a lifestyle. And achieving it doesn’t require a lot of stuff or fuss.
It’s really just about the simple things. Like, going for a walk. No other form of exercise requires so few extras. Collecting steps is uncomplicated and can be done anywhere: before or after a long day at the office; on the way to a bar or for breakfast. Best of all, there’s no need to change outfits or shower afterwards—you just need a comfy pair of shoes. But what are the benefits of walking on our overall health and longevity?
The benefits of walking for health and mood
It is often said that you should take 10,000 steps a day to benefit your fitness, health, and well-being. But is it possible to make such a blanket statement? One study came to the conclusion that just 4,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of death. According to this research, even 2,300 steps a day can have significant health benefits; walking can be an effective anti-ageing measure that can reduce the risk of chronic age-related issues such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. But that’s not all: another study concluded that walking can soothe pain, promote sleep, improve mental health, and increase resilience.
Although walking is not as intense as other physical activities, the health benefits are immense. However, according to the researchers, simply looking at the number of steps takes the wrong focus. It also depends on the type of steps. The results mainly relate to the effects of taking a brisk walk: in another study, researchers found that walking—four times a week, at a fast pace—can also protect the brain from aging. Also impressive: according to the results, daily walking can also reduce the chance of Alzheimer’s disease.
Incorporate walking into everyday life
“It’s always better to get moving at all, and even if it’s only 2,500 steps at first, that’s definitely better than none at all,” says Christiane Mensching, a specialist in general medicine, geriatrics, preventive medicine, and health promotion in Berlin. “I would recommend incorporating walking naturally into everyday life if possible,” she says. “There is evidence that exercise releases so-called messenger substances that make you happier, more satisfied and improve your mood.” Exercise also has a regulating and balancing effect on stress hormones: “Walking a lot in everyday life ensures better sleep and lowers stress levels.”
Although the body experiences stress for a short time with any type of exercise (when exercising, stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released) these are reduced again in the long term and balance is achieved. Walking is also beneficial in protecting against colds and infections. According to the doctor, this is mainly due to the fact that walking stimulates blood circulation. As a result, more immune cells circulate in the blood, which can then fight off the infectious agents. “Walking is also good for reducing chronic inflammation,” explains the doctor.
Walking lowers and stabilizes blood sugar levels
Through exercise, glucose is metabolized in the muscles and converted into energy: “Regular walking can also help to lower and stabilize blood sugar levels. This is particularly beneficial for people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes,” says Mensching. Messenger substances that play a role in brain metabolism are also released when walking: “This process can counteract cognitive decline in performance.” Compared to other types of training, however, you shouldn’t expect walking to build a ton of muscle: “I would question the fact that walking builds up muscles; however they don’t break them down,” explains Mensching.
The fact that longevity is influenced by walking also has to do with its benefits for disease prevention: “Metabolic diseases such as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or diabetes can be improved by movement, or, in the best case, can help us not develop those issues in the first place,” says Mensching. Walking also produces and releases messenger substances that lead to the formation of new synapses. “These also ensure the growth of the hippocampus, our learning and memory center” which in turn helps keep us fit in the head.
Is it better to jog or walk?
But what influence does the speed at which we walk have on our health benefits when it comes to living a long life? A considerable influence, it turns out. Although any form of walking is beneficial for the body, increased speed always means a better workout. “It doesn’t really make a big difference whether you walk eight kilometers in an hour or jog,” says Mensching, who notes that it just matters that you do it within that time. “A fast walking pace is easier on the joints than jogging, because jogging involves so-called flight phases, where both feet lift off the ground for a few milliseconds and bounce back together.” The only problem is that you have to be a real “speed walker” to walk the eight kilometers in an hour. “For many people, it’s easier to jog the distance.”
Slow strolling is better than not moving at all, but for walking to have a major impact on health and longevity, a fast pace is important. Mensching says: “Jogging is still the very best for ’aerobic training’ in which around 70% of the maximum heart rate is used.”
Wondering what aerobic exercise actually means? Aerobic exercise describes physical activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves endurance by using oxygen to produce energy over the training period, like in jogging, swimming, and cycling. Training in “aerobic zone 2” in particular is often associated with longevity because it has various health benefits. Zone 2 is “moderate intensity”—typically 60-70% of maximum heart rate. “When it comes to pure effectiveness and increasing life expectancy, jogging is more effective because it puts a different strain on the cardiovascular system and improves blood circulation than simply walking.” Nevertheless, you could also enter this area with a quick walk and achieve similarly intensive health results.
But how do you know if you are also in zone 2 when walking? As you rarely or never carry an ECG with you, Mensching has a simple tip: “If you can still have a conversation while walking or jogging, but it is slightly uncomfortable, then you are in this zone.” However, the doctor adds that if you really want to create a long, healthy life, you can try jogging in between walking, or—even better—jogging regularly for around 45 minutes. This increases lung capacity and further oxygenates the blood.
When the doctor asks her fit, older patients (those who are around 100 years old) about their secrets to longevity, she almost always gets the same answers: In addition to social interaction, eating a healthy diet, and cutting out nicotine and alcohol, the aspect of movement always comes up, whether it’s going for walks or gardening. “Older people’s exercise gives them a huge advantage over those who have done little or no exercise in their lives. They are usually fitter both physically and mentally,” explains Mensching.
Where you walk also plays a role
Walking from café to café; going on a big shopping spree… Do these activities have the same health effect and similar longevity benefits as walking briskly in the fresh forest air? “There are studies that show that walking in the forest is much better, especially for your mood,” says Mensching. It’s similar to forest bathing: the fresh air and nature combined with exercise is even better for us than just walking in the city. “Nature is where we come from; it reduces stress and is simply good for the mindset,” the doctor says.
When you run or walk, you breathe differently—sometimes stronger, sometimes shallower. But either way, the exhaust fumes from the city are a disadvantage compared to the fresh air in the forest. According to Mensching, the forest floor also plays a (literally) supporting role: it has better suspension and is much easier on the joints than rigid asphalt.
Walking promotes self-esteem
Self-esteem is also impacted by walking. “Knowing that you are taking your time and making it a priority to go for a walk through the park, even in sub-zero temperatures, does something to your self-efficacy,” says the doctor.
For all the positive effects of walking and running, however, Mensching also warns against the self-created pressure that can occur with “easy-to-implement types of exercise.” Walking is healthy—but only as long as you don’t stress yourself out over doing it: "It becomes dangerous when counting steps becomes addictive or when you start comparing yourself to your friends,” she says. Another warning sign? The negative impact on your personal life when other issues suddenly take a back seat because collecting steps is the top priority.
After all, it’s important to remember that longevity is an entire lifestyle that consists of various pillars: exercise, nutrition, sleep, and psyche. This means not creating any further, unnecessary, stress.
With that in mind, the doctor also makes an appeal for caution when walking in traffic. “We can do everything right: take supplements, exercise, and get enough sleep. But none of that is worth anything if we don’t look out for ourselves and the next red light.” So go for your walks—and remember to look both ways before crossing the street.