Benefits of walking

Health benefits

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get active for all ages and it has many benefits:

• Improves health and fitness – improves circulation, muscle strength and helps lose weight
• Relieves stress – can help reduce stress and anxiety levels as well as improve your mood
• Is great for your imagination – you can discover new places, plants, trees and animals
• Helps you sleep – regular walking helps boost the hormones that help us sleep
• Helps you think – experiments have proven that after exercise, cognitive function is improved
• A good way to socialise – walking can be enjoyed with friends, family and walking groups

The easiest way to walk more is by making walking part of your daily routine:

• Walk as part of your journey to work
• Use the stairs instead of the lift
• Leave the car behind for short journeys
• Walk your children to school
• Go for regular walks with a friend
• Go for a stroll after dinner

Helping the environment

Walking instead of driving helps protect the environment and supports your local area. These include:

• Cleaner air – fewer car journeys reduce air pollution, improving health and the local environment
• Slowing climate change – walking reduces greenhouse gas emissions
• Less noise pollution – quieter streets are better for people and wildlife
• Less traffic– fewer cars on the road mean quicker journeys for those who need to drive
• Stronger local communities – walking encourages people to shop and meet locally, helping neighbourhood businesses
• More green spaces – more people walking increases demand for safe, traffic-free routes and public spaces