Enjoy the Stress-Busting Benefits of Walking

At home, at work, and in society: problems tend to pile up, generating stress levels that are difficult to manage. Regularly practising a gentle activity such as active walking will help to give you space and clarity to help you tackle or overcome those difficulties.

Many active walkers agree on the benefits the sport has on their daily lives.

This is certainly the case for Pauline, digital communications manager, who practises active walking during her lunch break: "When I go walking, it is a real moment to relax, a great chance to switch off my brain from my work. I fill my lungs with fresh air, recharge the batteries in my brain and feel de-stressed for the rest of the day!".

This view is also shared by Emmanuel Lassalle, an avid cross-country walker and fan of solitary walks: "This sport gives the mind and body a good airing. I think about lots of things when I walk and manage to resolve certain problems in my life. I love my long walks. It's a chance to get some real 'me time'. Sometimes, I don't even feel like I'm doing sport!"

When you practise active walking, you generate more oxygen to your blood. This additional oxygen boost generates a feeling of well-being that is very beneficial both during and after your active walking sessions.

During the session, your body will produce up to 5 times more endorphins than when you're inactive or resting: endorphins are also known as "happy hormones!" They create a sense of well being in your mind, helping you think positively and preventing the blues associated with an overload of stress and negativity.

To fully benefit from these endorphin boosts, you need to sustain your walks for at least 30 minutes in the endurance zone. Which is great because this zone is also the same one in which you burn the most calories! Making it a win-win situation.