Mindfulness and exercise: meditating and walking at the same time have these 5 benefits for your health

We have already proven the benefits of using mindfulness in our meals (spoiler, it helps you lose weight) and until the last scientific studies have shown that the regular practice of meditation is an effective weapon against chronic stress. But it must be recognized that we are not all programmed to stay still, to silence our inner voice and focus on nothingness enjoying the silence. When the peak of anxiety is very large or we are very stressed, finding that fragile calm within us is difficult. But that's where we can take advantage of the benefits of Another way to practice meditation that is within the reach of the most restless minds: meditate while we move, specifically, while we walk. Join us on this tour to discover how we can learn to walk and meditate at the same time and what benefits it has for your health this way of practicing mindfulness.

How can we learn to meditate while walking?

Our mind seems designed to jump from one thing to another almost without breathing and it is not easy for the simple fact that we put one foot after the other to get into a bubble that isolates us from the noise of the city and from our thoughts. But it is possible, if we follow the teachings of those who invented these meditative walks: the Buddhist monks. If you want to follow in his footsteps, don't miss these keys.

1. Clear your mind but let your feet wander. Leave the house aimlessly, walk for the pleasure of walking, not with the aim of reaching this or that place. Only in this way will you be able to focus more on your body in movement than on reaching your goal.

2. Make your breathing and your steps go hand in hand. Breathing correctly, with a quiet abdominal breath that fills your brain with oxygen, and connecting that breath with your movements will help you take control of your mind and thoughts.

3. Find your own rhythm. It is not a race nor are you getting in shape, you are trying to help your mind. So if the body asks you to go fast, go fast, and if it asks you to go slow, then go slow. The goal is to achieve a rhythm that is comfortable and natural for you.

4. Analyze what happens to you with a magnifying glass. Imagine that your brain is a magnifying glass as you walk, a magnifying glass that you can focus on to magnify anything that is happening to you. Focus the attention of the magnifying glass on your breathing and forget about everything else. Then focus it on the feel of the air on your skin. Next in the movement of your feet while you walk. Then on your legs. The key is that you learn to focus your attention only on what is happening to you physically at the time as you walk.

What are the benefits of walking and meditating at the same time?

Among the benefits that this practice has shown are some very obvious ones, such as being able toincrease blood circulation in the legs (not in vain you are walking) and others not so obvious as that it is capable of reduce blood sugar levels. These are the five healthiest benefits that the practice of this type of meditation will bring to your life.

1. Increase energy levels if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.

In fact, the practice of this strategy is more effective to recharge your batteries than caffeine itself. The secret seems to be that the increased flow of oxygen from the combination of walking and proper breathing eincreases the levels of hormones that give us more energy: cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine.

2. Reduces anxiety.

And in record time: 10 minutes. A University of Mississippi study He concluded that walking and meditating was the most effective combo against anxiety when compared to patients who only walked. The best thing is that the good results were obtained with sessions of only 10 minutes.

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3. Reduces symptoms of depression.

A joint investigation by Thai and North American researchers concluded that practicing Buddhist meditations while walking three times a week for 12 weeks not only improved blood pressure of the participants, but helped to alleviate depressive symptoms.

4. Improve balance.

Another investigation conducted in 2019 in Thailand concluded that women who practiced mindfulness while walking were able to improve their balance and the function of the ankle joints.

5. Reinforce creativity.

Although while you walk and meditate you focus on the body and its sensations, in reality, you are lending a hand to your brain that is able to take advantage of that moment of calm and look for more creative solutions to the challenges that arise. This was demonstrated by a meta-analysis of studies on mindfulness and creativity by experts from the University of Colorado.