Are ten thousand steps daily possible? Walking for your mental health

Over the past few years, we have seen more people embrace walking and being intentional with counting their daily steps.

This movement encourages people to take control of their health and wellness through the simple act of walking. Most people began walking as an excuse to escape the house and save their physical and, most importantly, mental health. Dr Thabiso Rapapali, a clinical psychologist from Mediclinic Welkom, explains the vast benefits of walking.

The goal is to get physically healthier while building confidence by reciting or listening to positive affirmations during the walk. For instance, affirmations like 'I am strong and capable' or 'I am in control of my health' can be powerful tools during your walk. From people in corporate opting to walk during their lunch break to getting their steps in to parents counting their daily strolls as part of their steps for the day, the walking trend has become a movement that transformed the idea that wellness happens in a specific time and place. Many realise health isn’t one set destination but an ongoing journey.

Dr Rapapali states that regular walking is an accessible and viable alternative for individuals who cannot engage in high-impact external and internal exercise. Walking has also been proven to help remove toxins from the body.  According to Dr Rapapali, other benefits of regular walking include:

• Managing hypertension
• Reducing the chance of diabetes
• Depending on the severity, walking can have immense benefits for cardiovascular health. The heart, like a muscle, needs regular exercise to function better.

The mental and emotional benefits of walking can't be denied- and the sense of community people feel from sharing their daily walk on social media platforms and finding that there are like-minded people who have embarked on the same journey- has contributed to more people flocking to the movement. This shared experience fosters a sense of connection and support, making the journey to better health less daunting. Dr Rapapli explains why the social aspect of walking is just as crucial in achieving emotional well-being. “Emotional regulation occurs in the brain, and the mood of the prefrontal cortex is regulated by hormones such as dopamine and serotonin. These hormones are produced in the brain. A healthy brain, therefore, will always function better. We are also social beings, and healthy social interactions are always emotionally beneficial.”

Setting a goal you can achieve if you remain vigilant also instills a sense of belief in oneself, Dr Rapapali explains. Learning from your mistakes from the daily challenge helps you identify your strengths and determine what you can do better day by day. Dr Rapapali highlights the most important barriers people face when trying to create new habits, “It’s the tendency to procrastinate, then that leads to feeling demotivated due to not seeing the results we desire, and this can lead to anxiety-, which presents itself when we fear that the end goal will never be achieved.”

What began as a viral trend has come as a timely reminder that striving for health isn’t confined to specific spaces like the gym. Instead, it can be achieved by incorporating something as simple as walking into our daily lives and turning it into a daily ritual that promotes confidence and positivity.