There are plenty of references in the links below to support the physical benefits of walking and you probably don’t need studies for most of those benefits, so what I’d really like to chat about here is a “why” you’re probably wondering about already.  How can 10 minutes of walking produces all these benefits - surely 20-30 minutes of high intensity exercise would be better?  And sure, if we’re talking about just the exercise effects of walking, then some of those (such as burning calories) could definitely be enhanced with more volume and intensity exercise.

But high intensity, high volume exercise isn’t always the most beneficial, particularly if you’re extremely fatigued, overweight and generally just burnt out.  Regular exercise lowers inflammation in the longer term, but also causes acute inflammation straight after exercising, which can lead to chronic inflammation over time¹⁶, definitely not something you want if you’re already burnt out.  I’m not for a minute saying that doing more exercise isn’t a good thing, but if you're burnt out and fatigued, then reducing stress and inflammation on the body is your priority, not burning calories.  I’m just suggesting that a short daily walk is a bitesize, sustainable and hugely beneficial starting point.

But there’s an even more important reason that walking outdoors is so beneficial.  We’ve all felt that sense of wonder when hiking in nature - it feels like you have come alive, your thoughts are going large, your fears are dissipating and there is a sense that this is what life is really about (ok, maybe not when you’re slogging and sweating your way up yet another hill, but for sure when you stop to soak up a stunning view and wonder why you don’t do this more often).  That is the power of Presence… brought to you by the magic of being in nature.  And it is this ‘magic’ that enhances all the benefits of your short walk multifold^17,18, even if you’re strolling in a local park (but less so if you’re rushing to an appointment).