Now that we’re approaching summer and with it, the warmer weather, there’s very little excuse for not getting outside for a stroll, even if only for a short period. As we’ve highlighted in numerous previous posts, the health rewards from just a short outdoor walk can be significant. Some obvious benefits come from the physical movement of walking, including improved heart health and strengthened muscles, and being out in nature can also bring substantial mental health benefits. The smells you sense along the way, whether from trees and flowers or even ocean breezes, can all enhance your well-being and benefit your brain and physical health. For older adults, such additional health benefits as strengthening bone and joint health, as well as the positive impact on blood sugar management that comes from walking, all add up to positioning regular walking as one of the most important physical activities you can do each day. 

So getting in a daily walk is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself this spring. Your heart muscle can benefit from the daily movement, so that it pumps more efficiently, thereby lowering your blood pressure and improving your heart rate. Your immune system will also benefit. Research has shown that people who regularly exercise experience fewer viral infections and less severe symptoms if they do get sick. That, of course, begs the question: Does regular, daily walking count as exercise? Of course, walking is a weight-bearing exercise and does strengthen muscles, along with bones and joints. But does walking substitute for the aerobic exercise you should ideally be doing for at least 150 minutes a week? That may depend upon your fitness level and your manner of walking. While even slow walking is better than no movement, if you’re trying to get your heart rate up, then your walk would probably need more intentional exertion, perhaps adding in some hills or inclines and interspersing your stroll with some faster intervals to get your heart pumping. Of course, the faster, more briskly you walk, the greater the health benefits you may receive. For example, there is evidence to demonstrate that brisk walkers may achieve up to 20 years of greater life expectancy than those who walk or stroll more slowly. 

Walking speed has, in fact, gained the interest of researchers, as both a reflection on how well someone is aging and as a strategy for improving health as one ages. For example, for those who experience irregular heartbeats (more common among older adults, affecting up to 5% of the population), a new study has shown that a brisk walk, even for as little as 5 minutes a day, can reduce the risk of heart rhythm abnormalities by as much as 43%. Higher walking speed is generally associated with greater functional abilities and longevity, while conversely, slower walking speed, especially among those over 65, is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, falls, and overall mortality. In fact, a new study just published in Cureus referenced walking speed as a powerful predictor of health outcomes and mortality in older adults, and signaled that slow walking speed in older adults could indicate a need for targeted respiratory muscle training and balance interventions. A slowed-down walking pace could also be a predictor of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis on the horizon. In contrast, another recent study explored the concept of “super movers,” examining older adults who can maintain a higher walking speed into their later years, as opposed to the usual pattern of slower gait speed as one gets older. Published in the Journals of Gerontology, the researchers proposed that these “super movers” may exemplify an exceptional aging type, as they exhibit lower disease prevalence, healthier lifestyles, and lower mortality risks. It seems we could all learn something from our peers who walk as though they’re 30 years younger!  

Is there a way you can learn to pick up your mileage and walking pace, if you’re not a natural “super mover?” Walking involves a multitude of components, including balance, flexibility, muscle strength, and aerobic fitness. It would be helpful to improve each of these aspects if you want to walk faster. One way to pick up your pace is to measure your step count, speed, and heart rate as you walk, and many devices on the market can help you do that. The New York Times Wirecutter recently reviewed the devices on the market and recommended the Fitbit Inspire 3 as the best tracker for walking. For one man’s story of how a tracker helped him walk farther and faster, lace up your sneakers and click here.