I was never a sporty kid. You were much more likely to find me reading a book or writing a story than you were to spot me sinking hoops or running around a field.
But walking? Now that’s something I’ve always loved.
There are few things I find more relaxing than lacing up a pair of walking shoes and heading out into nature to clear my mind.
And yet last year, at 41, an early perimenopause diagnosis and a spell of poor health meant my sneakers sat in a corner gathering dust.
A month ago, with my mental health at an all-time low (thank you, fluctuating hormones), I set myself a simple challenge: walk for 30 minutes a day for two weeks.
Here’s what happened.
It lifted my mood—but only when I walked in nature
A 2023 study published in Current Psychology found that nature-based walking could boost mental health, improve mood, reduce anxiety and ease rumination. This was exactly my experience, too.
Whenever I was strolling alongside a river, wandering in a forest and breathing in fresh air, my mind felt calmer and clearer and I felt lighter and more joyful.
But I didn’t feel the same when I walked my neighborhood’s busy streets. The traffic noise and faster pace of life seemed to exacerbate my anxiety and fatigue.
This is consistent with a 2022 study published in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Wellbeing, which suggested nature-based environments improve mental health more than urban ones.
Incorporating some of my town’s green spaces into my daily walk helped make the urban walks a little more enjoyable.
My sleep improved
Sleep has never been a huge issue for me, until recently, when getting married and sharing a bed while navigating hormonal shifts changed things.
So I was pleasantly surprised to find that my daily walks noticeably improved the quality and quantity of my sleep.
I still have occasional nights where I struggle to drift off, but overall, I’m sleeping better and deeper thanks to these 30-minute walks.
I didn’t always feel like it
There were days when I felt exhausted or just plain unwell, so lacing up my sneakers and heading out for a walk was the last thing I felt like doing. But I’m glad I did it anyway.
Yes it was hard. Yes I felt like I was dragging my body against its will some days, but it was almost always cathartic.
Seeing spring flowers in bloom, watching my favorite trees go from bare to almost full leaf and listening to the birds chirping, proved to be the daily tonic I needed.
Final thoughts
Walking daily hasn’t been a magic cure-all bullet.
I still feel exhausted some days. My emotions are still unpredictable and my physical health isn’t what it once was. But this simple habit has reconnected me with something I love.
It’s also taught me that no matter what life throws at me, I can always lace up my sneakers, head out into nature, take some deep breaths and simply be.
