No, I haven't suddenly become a health or sports coach, but I do believe enormously in the benefits of walking. I use walking not only during coaching, but also in my daily life. Below you can read what walking does to you.
From a different place, the world looks different
Walking gives you peace of mind
Our brains are constantly burdened with streams of information, at work, at home via phones, etc. And we have very few moments of real rest. Concentration decreases and we are less able to perform more complicated thinking processes. You get rid of this pressure on the cognitive brain by walking. You regain peace and space in your head to fantasize and be creative. The hormone cortisol, which the body produces when it experiences stress, disappears. We are then able to look at things from a different angle. We are more relaxed, enthusiastic and confident. While you concentrate on the walk, your brain is working on a solution. As a result, you often get an inspiration while walking.
A walk is also a good tool for conversation. The well-known Dutch professor Erik Scherder says it like this: "While walking, you really get deeper conversations than normal. This is mainly due to the fasciculus uncinatus, a connection between your frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. You use it to navigate, but it also produces empathy. As a result, you will be more empathetic and develop a bond with others faster. Walking lends itself perfectly to having a difficult conversation. This is because you stimulate the prefrontal cortex, the place in your brain where reasoning and self-reflection occur. In addition, it acts as a nice brake on stress. You are therefore calm and will be less worked up when something doesn't suit you."
Walking in nature is even better
Outside in
nature, the air is cleaner. The cleaner the air we breathe, the better our
brains function. Japanese research shows that the presence of trees and plants
provide good-quality air that further relaxes your mind. And beautiful views
increase oxytocin levels making you feel more love and connection.
Research
shows that people who go hiking in a rural environment for four or more days
scored up to 50 per cent higher on a test of their intellectual ability. Their
creativity in particular was positively affected.
Walking in
nature also has a positive impact on our emotional state. An article in the
Journal of Environmental Science and Technology showed that a walk in nature of
just five minutes has impressive effects on our emotions. That short duration
is all it takes to observe changes in self-esteem and self-worth. People who
regularly take these kinds of walks are more confident and self-controlled
Now do you
understand why I love hiking in the mountains?
Walking in nature is even better
But even when we are not walking, exercise plays a big role. I like to actively engage with topics. For example, by translating subjects into paper or images. I believe that you always get better results by moving!