With better weather, lighter mornings, and longer evenings, May is a lovely time of year, when nature has truly woken up. Happily this coincides with National Walking Month, which encourages people to improve their physical and mental health simply by taking a walk outdoors.
A brisk (roughly 3 miles an hour) walk for a minimum of 10 minutes contributes towards the NHS recommended goal of 150 minutes of physical activity per week, and should be relatively easy to incorporate into a daily routine – by walking to a station instead of driving, or getting off the bus one or two stops earlier, for example.
The benefits of regular exercise really cannot be overestimated – it reduces the risk of all major illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and has been shown to have a positive effect on mental health.
Ramblers Wellbeing Walks offer an easy introduction to more structured walks. The shortest walks are only 10 minutes, enabling those with reduced mobility and significant health conditions to also get involved. Find out more information by clicking here.
The British Heart Foundation also has a page dedicated to walking – click here to find out more.