Health Benefits Of Walking 30 Minutes A Day

Reduces Blood Pressure

Studies have shown walking thirty minutes a day reduces blood pressure. The death of over 400,000 Americans is partially or entirely attributed to high blood pressure every year. The action of walking causes the blood to circulate through the cardiovascular system faster and more effectively than when the individual is sedentary. This increased workload on the heart causes it to become stronger and function better, as would any other muscle in the body. A heart in better shape will be able to pump a greater volume of blood, resulting in a better ability of the blood vessels to dilate. Over time, blood vessels able to dilate easier will be able to mediate high blood pressure. Walking for thirty minutes a day can decrease stress levels. Certain hormones secreted when an individual is stressed cause their blood pressure to increase. Reduced stress helps ensure these hormones are not released as often, resulting in a reduced frequency of hypertensive states. Walking also reduces anxiety, which is known to increase heart rate and blood vessel constriction.

Boosts Bone Strength

A consistent regimen of walking for thirty minutes per day boosts bone strength. Bone is a living tissue in the body and responds to exercise by becoming stronger, the same way muscle does. After an individual reaches forty years old, bone strength begins decreasing at a rate of one percent per year. Walking is easy on the knee joints because it is a low impact weight-bearing activity. Physical activity that places an increased workload on the bones promotes extra deposits of calcium and triggers the action of bone-forming cells. This mechanism causes an increase in bone mass that inhibits the development and further damage of pre-existing osteoporosis in the bones. Research suggests that walking programs of thirty minutes daily had significant positive effects on the bone density of the hip bone. Because walking stimulates bone formation, it slows the process of age-related decline in bone strength. Walking also has significant positive effects on balance and muscle strength, which reduces the risk of seniors falling and breaking a bone. Walking is an activity that causes less calcium loss through sweating than other endurance type activities.