The meditative benefits of walking
It might surprise you to hear that walking can be like a form of meditation. Sound strange? Think about it in terms of breathing and clearing your mind and the link might become clearer.
A focus on breathing
If you’ve ever done a yoga class, or tried meditation, you have probably spent some time focusing on your breath. But did you know that effective breathing is also key to exercising successfully?
When we exercise, our muscles need more oxygen. Our bodies have evolved to meet this need by increasing our rate of breathing [1]. You might not notice it initially, but as you up the intensity of your exercise, you might notice yourself starting to breathe heavily or get ‘puffed out’.
The way we breathe when we exercise is particularly important. Consciously controlling your breathing rate during exercise has been shown to improve people’s ability to keep exercising [2].
Pamela Scarborough, a physiotherapist and yoga teacher, and member of the Heart Foundation Walking team, reminds us:
When we actively take notice, your breath can be a very powerful tool, particularly when coupled with exercise. Your breath can be used to help you manage pain, calm your mind, and release physical tension from your body
Pamela Scarborough, Heart Foundation Walking team member
Looking outward
An ‘awe walk’ is what we call a walk where you deliberately shift your attention from your thoughts to what is around you. Rather than focus on your worries, you deliberately notice the birds in the trees or the leaves falling on the path in front of you. Your attention goes outward instead of inward.
A recent study [3] showed a regular ‘awe walk’ can boost positive feelings. Participants in the study quickly developed a healthy sense of being a part of something bigger than themselves which led to feelings of joy and connection to what matters. They even found that they were smiling more!
Clearing the mind
‘Awe walks’ show how different we can feel when paying attention to what’s going on around us rather than what’s swirling in our head. Meditating while walking is another way to help your mind to relax and really experience the walk. Changing your focus and connecting with your surroundings can help you to really appreciate the simple pleasure of walking.
Focusing on your breath, the wind on your face and the feeling of the ground under your feet as you walk is a terrific way to be in the moment and disconnect from the stresses of our daily lives.
Jarrod Leggett, Heart Foundation Walking's Senior Individual Walking Officer
Walking meditation doesn’t mean we wander around with our eyes closed. Instead, we redirect our mind to focus on our body and breath. We notice how the body feels and observe the rhythm of our walk without trying to change anything. There’s a lot to explore about walking meditation and the benefits are worth the effort.
And what about your heart?
We have already told you that walking is good for your heart... but meditation is good for your heart too! A number of studies [4] have shown that mediation can help to reduce your heart rate and blood pressure. Meditation has even been linked to reduced hospitalisation in people living with heart conditions.
It’s becoming clear that walking is a lot more than one foot in front of the other. Stick to your plan, enjoy your ‘awe walks’ and don’t forget to notice how well you’re doing.
References
- Tanya LaPier, CHAPTER 12 - Impaired aerobic capacity/endurance. Editor(s): ANDREW A. GUCCIONE, RITA A. WONG, DALE AVERS
Geriatric Physical Therapy (Third Edition), Mosby, 2012, Pages 228-247, ISBN 9780323029483, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-02948-3.00021-3 - Hsiu-Chin Teng, Mei-Ling Yeh, Mei-Hua Wang, Walking with controlled breathing improves exercise tolerance, anxiety, and quality of life in heart failure patients: A randomized controlled trial, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, Volume 17, Issue 8, 1 December 2018, Pages 717–727, https://doi.org/10.1177/1474515118778453
- Sturm, V. E., Datta, S., Roy, A. R. K., Sible, I. J., Kosik, E. L., Veziris, C. R., Chow, T. E., Morris, N. A., Neuhaus, J., Kramer, J. H., Miller, B. L., Holley, S. R., & Keltner, D. (2022). Big smile, small self: Awe walks promote prosocial positive emotions in older adults. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 22(5), 1044–1058. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000876
- Ray IB, Menezes AR, Malur P, Hiltbold AE, Reilly JP, Lavie CJ. Meditation and coronary heart disease: a review of the current clinical evidence. Ochsner J. 2014 Winter;14(4):696-703. PMID: 25598736; PMCID: PMC4295748.
