Why a winter walk can do wonders

Why a winter walk can do wonders

Well­be­ing SA is on a mis­sion to encour­age South Aus­tralians to expe­ri­ence the ben­e­fits of walk­ing, even in the cool­er months. Walk­ing is a sim­ple yet effec­tive way to improve your phys­i­cal and men­tal well­be­ing, includ­ing boost­ing your immune sys­tem, improv­ing car­dio­vas­cu­lar health and reduc­ing stress and anxiety.

You don’t need to be a sea­soned hik­er to enjoy the ben­e­fits of walk­ing — Well­be­ing SA offers plen­ty of tips and ideas to incor­po­rate a short walk into your dai­ly rou­tine.

If you’re look­ing to take your walk­ing to the next lev­el, why not head to a local nation­al park? Spend­ing time in nature is well-known to ben­e­fit the mind, body, and soul. Not sure where to start? How about one of the activ­i­ties in Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park for Park of the Month such as the Mother’s Day fam­i­ly nature walk with Nature Play SA or improv­ing your hik­ing skills.

For those with young chil­dren, Walk­ing SA has a list of 12 great walks for kids, includ­ing pram-friend­lyoptions. Even if you don’t have access to a car, there are plen­ty of bush­walks acces­si­ble by pub­lic trans­port, and many short walks that are close to the city.

Why a winter walk can do wonders

A few handy tips

Wor­ried about tak­ing up walk­ing in the cool­er months? Nev­er fear, with a few tips and the right gear you can make walk­ing this sea­son an enjoy­able and reward­ing expe­ri­ence. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Lay­er up: Dress­ing in lay­ers is key to stay­ing warm and com­fort­able dur­ing your walk. Don’t for­get a hat and gloves to keep warm.
  • Choose the right shoes: Make sure you have shoes that are appro­pri­ate for the weath­er con­di­tions. If it’s wet, con­sid­er shoes with good trac­tion to pre­vent slips and falls.
  • Stay hydrat­ed: Even though it’s cool­er out­side, you still need to stay hydrat­ed dur­ing your walk. Car­ry a water bot­tle with you, or try hot water or tea in a ther­mos for a warm­ing alternative.
  • Warm up: Take a few min­utes to warm up your mus­cles before you start your walk. This can be as sim­ple as a few stretch­es or some gen­tle move­ments to get your blood flowing.
  • Start slow and build up: If you’re new to walk­ing or haven’t been active in a while, start with short­er walks and grad­u­al­ly increase your dis­tance and inten­si­ty over time.

Walk­ing can also be a great way to con­nect with your com­mu­ni­ty and meet new peo­ple. Walk­ing groups and clubs are a pop­u­lar way for peo­ple to come togeth­er and enjoy the ben­e­fits of walk­ing in a social setting. 

Make walk­ing a reg­u­lar part of your rou­tine and dis­cov­er the many ben­e­fits for your­self. Whether it’s a short stroll around your neigh­bour­hood or a longer hike through a nation­al park, every step you take can con­tribute to your over­all health and wellbeing. 

So bun­dle up, lace up your shoes, and hit the trails today! Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Inter­est­ed in walk­ing? Read our blog on 10 pram-friend­ly walks in Adelaide’s nation­al parks.

This con­tent was pro­duced in part­ner­ship with  Good Living