Credits: Social Media
I tried ‘Silent Walking’ every day for a week, feeling more ‘present’ is just one of the benefits
Everyone knows that walking is great for the mind, body and soul, but most people don’t take time out of the day to actually do it. When we do, we tend to stick on a podcast or listen to some music – because otherwise it’s boring, right?
While scrolling through TikTok last week, I came across a trend called ‘Silent Walking’ which sees people prioritising going out for a daily walk without any distractions. I decided to give it a try every day for a week, and it really opened my eyes.
What is Silent Walking?
Silent walking is going out for a walk in silence, without playing music through your headphones, speaking to someone on the phone or listening to a podcast. Most people have the same response when hearing about the trend for the first time: “So, it’s just walking?”
Well on the surface, yes – but it’s so much more than that. In a world overruled by technology and social media, it’s so important to take that opportunity to put the screen away and be alone with your own thoughts, and the trend is reminding people to do exactly that.
The idea was unintentionally started by a TikTok user called Madi Maio who explained that her nutritionist told her to go out and walk for 30 minutes a day instead of doing any “insane cardio”. Her boyfriend then challenged her to do it “without distractions”.
“No AirPods. No podcast. No music. Just me, myself and I. At first I was like f*** no my anxiety could never,” she said. “The first two minutes are mayhem. Your mind is racing, you’re going to have anxiety, but something happens after two minutes.”
Maio claimed your brain suddenly changes and you can “hear yourself” – and the trend has taken over the internet since then. People are taking time every day to go outside and be at one with nature, and there are so many health benefits.
Health benefits of walking
“Physical activity doesn’t need to be complicated. Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life,” Mayo Clinic reveals.
Some of the physical benefits include maintaining a healthy weight, improving cardiovascular fitness, strengthening your bones and muscles, improving balance and coordination and preventing conditions like herat disease, stroke, high blood pressure and cancer.
However, walking has amazing mental health benefits too, including boosting your emotional well-being, reducing stress and tension, helping you sleep better and improving your mood.
“Walking regularly can help ease symptoms related to chronic mental health conditions like anxiety and depression,” WebMD adds.
They explain that walking helps boost your mood because it increases blood flow and circulation to the brain and body, which has a positive influence on your central nervous response system, called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
The HPA axis is responsible for your stress response, so walking helps calm your nerves, which in turn makes you feel less stressed.
I tried it every day for a week
As someone who works from home, I tend to take my dog for a walk during my lunch break every day to get some fresh air and take an hour away from my desk. However, this week, I made a conscious effort to do it in silence.
Not listening to anything through headphones forced me to take in my surroundings, breathe in the fresh air and open my eyes to the world around me. One day I heard the neighbor mowing his lawn, on another, I chatted to the postman, and I also said hello to a guy walking his new puppy.
It sounds clich�, but it’s these little things that make your day so much better. Silent walking instantly improved my mood, made me feel more relaxed, and eased any stresses of the day, while opening my eyes to the importance of being present and taking time away from technology.
In Buddhism, walking is actually a very important form of meditation, helping people achieve a mentally clear, emotionally calm and stable state. It’s also a type of mindfulness, allowing individuals to be intensely aware of their feelings and surroundings.
Yoga expert Yogi Aaron told The Focus that one of his biggest personal challenges has been finding a balance between exercise and meditation, as traditional stories often depict spiritual figures meditating for extended periods.
It’s often difficult to find time to meditate, but mindful walking achieves this balance, “seamlessly merging the spiritual with the everyday” and “bringing sacredness into the mundane aspects of life”.
Make an effort to do some silent walking this week and see the benefits for yourself.
