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January 7, 2025
Maybe one of your New Year's resolutions is to be more active in 2025.
Walking is a good way to start as it can lower stress, increase heart health and burn calories. Going for a walk helps our bodies in many other ways, too.
"Walking is one of those underrated activities that can keep you healthy," says Neal B. Goldenberg, MD, our director of sports medicine at Dartmouth Health's Cheshire Medical Center. "It's easy to do, and you don't need special equipment or a gym membership. You can do it anywhere."
Dartmouth Health experts share five surprising benefits of walking.
1. Walking helps your mood
"Going for a walk gets us out of our heads," says our Integrative Health Specialist Cindy M. Reuter, ND, MSOM, MPH, of Dartmouth Health's Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital.
A 2024 research study found that increasing your daily steps is linked to lowering symptoms of depression.
The Spanish study, published in December, found that your odds for depression decline as your daily steps rise. Compared to people walking 5,000 steps per day or less, those who walked 7,000 steps per day experienced 31% lower odds for depression. The percentage was 43% for taking between 7,500 and 10,000 steps.
"Walking makes us feel good," Reuter says.
2. Walking lowers your cancer risk
Taking regular walks can lower the risk for several cancers, including breast, colon, endometrial, kidney, multiple myeloma, liver and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to a 2019 American Cancer Society study.
Physical activity can help regulate some hormones that contribute to the development of cancer and help keep your immune system healthy.
"Your immune system is looking to find things that could endanger your health," says our Medical Oncologist Mary D. Chamberlin, MD, of Dartmouth Health's Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). "Going for a walk gets your blood pumping. By walking, you're circulating your cells to help find and eliminate harmful cells."
Research from a 2019 American College of Sports Medicine Roundtable Report suggests that physical activity after a cancer diagnosis provides greater benefits of reduced mortality risk.
For cancer survivors, being active can reduce fatigue, improve symptoms of depression and anxiety, help make sleep better and decrease the risk of cancer coming back.
"Once you've had cancer, the association between physical activity and reduced mortality is even stronger," says Courtney J. Stevens, PhD, principal investigator of the PHIT for Breast Cancer Recovery Study, a behavioral clinical trial being conducted through the Dartmouth Cancer Center with funding from the National Cancer Institute.
Another 2023 study found that people diagnosed with cancer who regularly exercise reduced their risk of dying from all causes by 25%, compared to people with cancer who did not exercise.
3. Walking combats muscle loss
"Walking is good for your muscles," Goldenberg says.
Walking helps several major muscle groups, including the
- Hip extensors (hamstrings and gluteal muscles)
- Knee extensors (quadriceps)
- Knee flexors (hamstrings)
It also helps the muscles in your lower legs and your feet. Exercising these muscles by walking improves circulation, muscular endurance and balance.
Walking also helps fight sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength more common in people over age 50.
"We don't talk much about sarcopenia or the loss of muscle mass. But walking is one of those great activities where you can help combat sarcopenia," he says.
Researchers have also found that a combination of walking and resistance training is the best way to improve physical function and avoid disability.
4. Walking reduces arthritis symptoms
Walking can reduce pain and stiffness for adults with arthritis.
"A breakdown of cartilage is exactly what arthritis is—it's the joint breaking down. But your cartilage responds to force, absorbs pressure and can be strengthened by walking," Goldenberg says.
Walking and other activities that encourage gradual loading of the cartilage can strengthen it over time, and may help prevent joint breakdown and the progression of arthritis, he explains.
Research shows that walking and other exercise can work to decrease joint pain and muscle aches—common complaints in people with knee arthritis, Goldenberg adds.
"There's an old mantra that motion is lotion. The more you move your body, the more your joints get the natural lubricants they need to stay healthy and active," he says.
5. Walking regulates your blood sugar
Healthy blood sugar levels matter.
When it comes to exercise, research shows that a five-minute walk after a meal helps you moderate blood sugar levels. That's because your blood sugar goes up after a meal, and it tends to be at its highest for up to 90 minutes once you've finished eating.
Going for a walk after a meal prevents blood sugar from spiking and helps your body use insulin more effectively.
"Walking is one of the best and easiest ways for your body to regulate blood sugar," Reuter says.
Tip: If you plan to walk more in 2025, you can start slow.
Experts recommend walking 150 minutes weekly—or for 30 minutes, five days a week.
Reuter suggests breaking up your 30-minute walk into 10-minute increments throughout the day. Physical activity in short increments can increase your metabolism, she says, adding that you can slowly add more time to build your endurance.
Keep in mind that doing too much too fast can cause injury, and overexercising can hurt your immune system. Be sure to check with your doctor, especially if you have any activity limitations due to medications, surgery or illness.
"I think sometimes the problem is too much ambition," Reuter says. "It's OK to set the bar low when starting out. Take it slow to build up your momentum."