Ian Fleming describes why winter walks are so good for us.
Cold weather shouldn’t put anyone off country walking, as long as you have the right clothing and footwear. There’s little to beat the pleasure of walking through late autumn leaves on a chilly but bright early winter day, especially if the sunshine is bright.
Let’s get a few basics stated before we go any further. Firstly, you don’t need a dog to go for a walk! Taking a dog along can be rewarding, but far too many people these days seem to need the excuse of taking the dog for a walk as their sole reason to get outside. There are plenty of benefits to be enjoyed by simply walking on your own, or with a close friend or partner. The countryside at this time of year has so many pleasures to enjoy, such as long views unobscured by foliage and undergrowth, the stark beauty of bare branches and tree trunks and easier route finding, without waymarks being hidden by vegetation.
However, quite apart from all the aesthetic pleasures of a country walk in the winter, remember that it’s really good for you! We simply can’t afford to hibernate over the winter; it is important to maintain an active lifestyle and walking is one of the easiest ways to get more active, become healthier and lose weight. It’s free, can be undertaken anywhere, and is a simple step in starting on a journey towards living a more active lifestyle.
What’s more, you don’t have to walk for hours to notice the benefits. A brisk 5–10-minute daily walk provides many health benefits and all counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. For some, even 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week might feel unattainable, but every minute counts and some exercise is always better than none! You don’t need a gym nearby – just go out and walk!
What are the main benefits of winter walking? Here are a few:
You’ll burn more calories. When it’s cold, your body works harder to maintain your core temperature, so you burn more calories in the process.
You could sleep better. Exercise boosts the effect of natural sleep hormones, such as melatonin.
Fight infection. The immune system can be activated when exposed to the cold and this enhances your ability to fight infections.
Manage your weight. Studies have shown that people who regularly walk briskly for half an hour, five days a week, are likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than people who are less active
Reduce stress. Being outdoors can increase the stress-busting effect, as well as benefiting from breathing in more oxygenated fresh air. Sunlight and increased blood flow in our brains can boost our production levels of chemicals like serotonin and endorphins, which can improve well-being and mood. Research has also shown that walking outdoors can also have a ‘restorative’ property on our mental health.
Other health benefits. There are so many benefits of walking, particularly during the darker and colder winter months, when a focus on mental wellbeing is just as important as the physical benefits. Walking is a form of weight-bearing exercise (because you carry your own body weight), which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, improve high blood pressure, regulate cholesterol, improve balance, strengthen bones, increase muscle strength and endurance, reduce the risk of diabetes, improve cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness, and also help to manage joint and muscular pain.
How to sum all this up? The colder the better, as far as I’m concerned. I love a morning winter walk. It sets me up for the day, it motivates me, wakes my body up and gets my blood pumping, whether it’s a walk in the woods or across open country. As a bonus, the paths are usually quieter too, with good weather walkers keeping indoors. There is something special about this time of year that has me really looking forward to wintery walks!
