{"id":8219,"date":"2024-05-13T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/?post_type=menopauselibrary&#038;p=8219"},"modified":"2024-05-14T10:39:32","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T09:39:32","slug":"how-walking-can-ease-your-mind","status":"publish","type":"menopauselibrary","link":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/menopause-library\/how-walking-can-ease-your-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"How walking can ease your mind"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It takes little time or effort, but a mindful walk can help boost your mood during the menopause<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A 10-minute walk can increase alertness, mood and energy levels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mindful walking can help you connect with yourself and your surroundings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discover how to walk mindfully and reap the benefits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Rightly or wrongly, for many of us the idea of exercise has been linked to a physical goal \u2013 working out to lose weight, \u201cto shape up for summer\u201d or get fit. But the menopause can be a time to readdress this attitude and find a deeper meaning through movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Menopausal symptoms can lead women to adjust or ditch their usual workout \u2013 it\u2019s not easy to exercise when you\u2019re experiencing hot flushes, joint pains&nbsp;or fatigue, for instance. Walking, however, is a low impact, no-fuss way to not only help your symptoms but reduce your risk of depression and generally improve your wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/menopause-library\/lost-motivation-how-to-regain-your-fitness-mojo-in-menopause\/\">RELATED: Lost motivation? How to regain your fitness mojo in menopause<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why women like to walk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a>A poll was conducted, involving nearly 6,000 women, to inform balance founder<\/a>\u00a0Dr Louise Newson\u2019s book,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Definitive-Guide-Perimenopause-Menopause-bestseller\/dp\/1399704982\/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Definitive Guide to Perimenopause and Menopause<\/a>, this found walking was by far the most popular form of exercise, with 75% of respondents saying it benefited their physical and mental health.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you can use walking to achieve fitness goals, it\u2019s a fabulous way to improve your mental health. After all, your mind and body are connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Mental Health Foundation, which made the theme of its 2024 Mental Health Awareness Week &#8220;Movement: Moving more for our mental health&#8221;, regular movement is one of the most important things you can do to help protect your mental health. It can increase your energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost your self-esteem, making you feel better about your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It says even a short burst of 10 minutes\u2019 brisk walking is enough to boost your mood, increase mental alertness (very useful if you experience brain fog as a menopausal symptom) and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/menopause-library\/5-reasons-to-walk-more-during-the-menopause\/#:~:text=Walking%20improves%20your%20mood%2C%20memory%2C%20sleep%20and%20reduces%20stress&amp;text=Exercise%20reduces%20inflammation%20and%20stimulates,blood%20vessels%20in%20the%20brain.\">RELATED: 5 reasons to walk more during the menopause<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have more time to spare, then a study \u2013 which over a 10-year period looked at more than 4,000 people aged 50 years and over \u2013 found that a brisk 20-minute walk, five times a week significantly reduces the risk of depression [1].<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A review of 80 articles into physical activity around menopause found that two studies based on walking interventions reported a reduction of menopausal symptoms and enhanced satisfaction with life [2]. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Elevate your walk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Walking is one of the easiest movements most of us make \u2013 we do it without thinking, even if it\u2019s just walking across the kitchen to put the kettle on. But you can boost the wellbeing effects of a walk by making it mindful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Quite simply, mindful walking is about tapping into how you\u2019re moving, the way it makes you feel both physically and mentally, and connecting to your surrounding environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may have practiced mindfulness before. If not and you\u2019d like to try, the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation offers free, 30-minute mindfulness <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordmindfulness.org\/free-online-mindfulness-course-sessions\/\">practice sessions<\/a> on weekdays. Or you may have given mindfulness a go and found it tricky or felt too self-conscious. An advantage of mindful walking is that it feels more natural and can easily be fit into your existing daily routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/menopause-library\/does-mindfulness-help-with-menopause\/#:~:text=For%20maximum%20benefit%2C%20try%20to,support%20app%20to%20log%20meditation.&amp;text=If%20you%20are%20new%20to,known%20as%20the%20body%20scan.\">RELATED: Does mindfulness help with menopause?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t need to walk in idyllic countryside for mindful walking \u2013 it can be done anywhere because it\u2019s where you are mentally that counts not physically. You don\u2019t need a destination in mind, you can just walk aimlessly. You can also transform some of your everyday experiences, such as a walk to the shops, by reframing them as mindful walks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key is to use your way as a chance to connect firstly with yourself, and then with the world around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to walk mindfully<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Before you start, stand and bring your attention to how you feel. Think about your feet rooted to the ground and consider your posture. Take a few deep breaths.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start walking at your natural pace \u2013 you don\u2019t need to think about technique, just walk as you would normally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Think about how your body feels. You can start from your feet then move your way up. Feel how your foot rolls from heel to toe with each step. Tune into the muscles in your legs and be aware of sensations in your body as you shift from side to side.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get into a rhythm, keeping your attention inwards. Now think about your breath. Again, keep it natural. If you can breathe deeply, even better.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start to notice your surroundings and tune into your senses. Can you feel a breeze or rain on your face? What can you hear? Leaves rustling, birds, cars? What can you smell and see? It might be small details like spotting your shadow or more obvious, like passersby or traffic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t worry if you mind wanders \u2013 this is natural. Just bring your thoughts back to your breath, your body or focus on your senses. You\u2019ll probably need to do this many time, and that\u2019s fine!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When you\u2019ve finished your walk take a moment to stand still, take some deep breaths and think about how you feel.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting the most out of your mindful walk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea of mindful walking is to help you relax and reduce stress so you may be happy to simply incorporate it into your day. But if you need more motivation, you could create a movement journal to track your progress and how you feel before and after your walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need more help or inspiration, there are guided walking meditation practices online &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindful.org\/how-to-meditate\/\">Mindful.org<\/a> has useful resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, remember that the days where you feel low or your mental health is poor are those where you\u2019ll reap the biggest mood benefits by moving. A mindful walk, even for just five minutes, can be an important part of your self-care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/menopause-library\/the-importance-of-breathing-efficiently-with-dr-louise-oliver\/\">RELATED: the importance of breathing efficiently with Dr Louise Oliver<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Laird E,&nbsp;Rasmussen CL,&nbsp;Kenny RA,&nbsp;Herring MP. Physical Activity Dose and Depression in a Cohort of Older Adults in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.&nbsp;<em>JAMA Netw Open.<\/em>&nbsp;2023;6(7). doi:10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2023.22489<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maria Hybholt, Psychological and social health outcomes of physical activity around menopause: A scoping review of research, Maturitas, Volume 164, 2022, Pages 88-97, <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.maturitas.2022.07.014\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.maturitas.2022.07.014<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It takes little time or effort, but a mindful walk can help [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8068,"template":"","subject":[38,16,25],"content-type":[6],"library-format":[19],"library-author":[],"class_list":["post-8219","menopauselibrary","type-menopauselibrary","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","subject-exercise","subject-mental_health","subject-wellbeing","content-type-article","library-format-read"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/menopauselibrary\/8219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/menopauselibrary"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/menopauselibrary"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=8219"},{"taxonomy":"content-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-type?post=8219"},{"taxonomy":"library-format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library-format?post=8219"},{"taxonomy":"library-author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balance-menopause.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/library-author?post=8219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}