National Walking Month
1 – 31 May is the UK's National Walking Month. In this blog post I try to demystify walking to school and walking to work. Here is a link to a website with great info and motivational ideas for getting more walking in this month: https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school
Walking is an easy and accessible way to improve physical and mental health and a 20-minute walk can reduce the risk of a number of preventable health conditions, including certain cancers, depression, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
By swapping a short drive for a short walk, you can also help reduce air pollution, congestion and road danger - whilst saving yourself some money and getting active in the process! A great way to do this is during the daily commute to work, supporting children to walk to school or even walking with them.
Walk to School
With their luminous jackets and giant ‘lollipops’ crossing patrol wardens are a welcome sight outside many of the region’s primary schools. In recent years, however, they have become rarer in some parts of the country as numbers have fallen as councils look to save cash.
The first stop signs on a pole were black-and-white rectangles; the round sign, immediately dubbed the lollipop, was introduced in the 1960s. In 2000, a change in law meant crossing patrols were no longer a legal requirement for schools, which led to a reduction in numbers nationally.
WHY THE WALK TO SCHOOL MATTERS!!!
HAPPIER CHILDREN
It’s been proven that children who do some form of exercise, especially a walk before school, do better in class because they arrive refreshed, fit and ready to learn.
Barefoot to school. This photo was taken in Clogher, Co Tyrone, Ireland, from the Rose Shaw collection.
LESS CONGESTION & CLEANER AIR
During morning peak traffic times, one in five cars on the road are taking children school, contributing to congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions.
The walk to school is the single most accessible way to reduce congestion and pollution outside the school gates, while increasing the safety and improving physical and mental wellbeing of pupils.
The school run alone is responsible for generating half a million tonnes of CO2 per year (which is more than some small countries!). Imagine what we could achieve if we began converting some of these rides to strides?
WALK TO WORK
Walking to work is great exercise, and exercise is great for your physical and mental health. Scientists state that physical activity can cause chemical changes in the brain, such as the release of endorphins, which can positively charge your mood. This, in turn, can positively impact your level of motivation and self-esteem, boosting your energy levels.
Walking can help you become more mindful. When you aren’t looking down at a screen on the bus or in a taxi, you can pay more attention to the things around you.
There’s no better time to meditate on a problem than when you’re walking to work. Giving more free time to think, without the added pressure of office surroundings, it’s the perfect opportunity to organise your mind before you get into work.
If you arrive at work energised and refreshed after a brisk walk, you’ll likely feel more positive and productive for the rest of the day. You might be surprised at just how much you manage to get done!
If you walk or cycle to work, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint. Your emissions will vary depending on how you get to work. If you drive, they’ll be quite high, especially if you spend any stretch of your commute stuck in traffic. If you use public transport, your emissions will be considerably lower. But if you walk or cycle to work? Zero. That’ll certainly put a spring in your step! Imagine the good we could do the planet if everyone walked or cycled to work every day?
Other ways to incorporate walking into your work day:
-Park slightly further away than usual and finish your journey on foot.
-Get off a couple of bus/train stops early and walk the rest of the way.
-Why not spend your lunch breaks sauntering? Even a few laps of your premises each day could bring major gains in the long term.
-Have a walking meeting!
If you need support for weight loss or exercise motivation please contact Vitalis Health. We offer tailored lifestyle programmes to help support you to get on a path way for optimum health, where you are empowered to take ownership of your own health and body.
Check out the five-day walking challenge from https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school