Did you know walking can prevent brain shrinkage? There's lots of reasons why you should celebrate National Walking Month this May...
May is National Walking Month and, with the Prime Minister giving us the all-clear to take unlimited exercise outside of the home, why not stretch your legs on a daily walk or two?
Walking has numerous health benefits. According to Active Nation, walking for 30 minutes a day can reduce your risk of stroke by 27%. Walking is also proven to help prevent your brain from shrinking to mitigate the risk of dementia in old age, meaning that you could join ICB's league of septuagenarian bookkeepers one day.
If you’re suffering from what’s become known as the Corona-coaster, the emotional ups and downs or living and working in lockdown, why not take a break and go for a brisk walk? Walking makes you feel happy, boosts your circulation, and increases the oxygen supply in your body to help you feel alert and awake.
To inspire you even further here are some selfies the ICB have snapped on our immune-boosting, self-care perambulations this week:
If you're feeling unclear about the latest guidelines, here's what's changed in relation to our door activity:
What you can do that you couldn't before?
- spend time outdoors – for example sitting and enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, or sunbathing
- meet one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines
- exercise outdoors as often as you wish - following social distancing guidelines
- use outdoor sports courts or facilities, such as a tennis or basketball court, or golf course – with members of your household, or one other person while staying 2 metres apart
- go to a garden centre (!)
And for a final push, check out Living Streets’ 20 top tips to add 20 minutes of walking to your day so you can #WalkThisMay
Find out more National Walking Month, here.
