7 compelling reasons to take an evening walk

From lowering your blood pressure to helping you digest, taking an evening walk after dinner can put you on the path to better health.

At the end of an exhausting day, most of us would rather hit the couch than the pavement.

But experts say even a short after-dinner stroll can have a host of health benefits.

Here are seven excellent reasons why you should stretch your legs with an evening walk.

An evening walk improves digestion

If you struggle with indigestion, a stroll after dinner could be a step in the right direction.

“Fitting in a walk between dinner and bed is a great way to get the digestive system activated,” advanced sports dietitian Lisa Middleton says.

“Planning a walk might also help you not overeat at dinner if you know you are heading out for some activity.”

Walking helps you stay in shape

An evening walk can help you maintain a healthy weight, Lisa says.

“Heading out for a walk after dinner helps to keep you fit and active,” she says.

“Getting out and about also creates an alternative to sitting on the couch in the evening watching TV or scrolling on your phone and snacking mindlessly.”

Baker-Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes head Professor David Dunstan says an evening stroll is an easy and enjoyable way to burn those few extra calories needed to promote weight loss.

Walking helps boosts immunity

An after-dinner walk could help you side-step the sniffles.

This is because walking gets your blood pumping, helping infection-fighting white blood cells in the immune system to circulate and work effectively.

In fact, in a study of more than 1000 people, those who walked for at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week, had 43 per cent fewer sick days compared to people exercising once a week or less.

Another study found active people were a third less likely to catch an infectious disease.

An evening stroll is good for your heart health

Research shows walking is one of the easiest ways to improve cardiovascular health.

It helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack.

“There are some caveats,” Monash University Department of General Practice professor John Murtagh says.

“Namely, activity needs to be consistent and performed regularly – at least three times a week.”

Walking lowers blood sugar

A stroll after eating can lower blood sugar levels and decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.“Our muscles are the largest users of glucose in the body,” Prof Dunstan says.

“So the more we move them, the more it assists our bodies to clear glucose from our bloodstream.“And because the evening meal is usually our largest, walking after dinner can be particularly beneficial to glucose uptake in the body.”

It can boost your mental health

Studies show regular walking can reduce the risk of developing depression.

Walking helps to release endorphins, hormones that boost your mood and reduce stress.

“A walk in the evening after a busy day is definitely a great way to support your mental as well as your physical health,” Lisa says.

Walking helps you sleep more soundly

Instead of counting sheep, we should be counting our steps, according to a range of studies.

One study looking at the connection between low-impact physical activity and sleep found women (more so than men) who took more steps and were more active reported sleeping better than those less active.

In another study, researchers found daily walking had a significant effect on the quality of young adults’ sleep.

And a review of 23 studies found gentle evening exercise an hour or more before bedtime can improve sleep.

Written by Dimity Barber.

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