Walking as a Stress Reducer

by Lynn B.
(Canton, OH, USA)

Work Stress

When I heard the news that the business that I was working for would be closing I became very stressed.

With the economy being so bad I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find another job. My best friend had just started walking two miles a day and swore to me that she was much less stressed as a result of it.

I really didn’t feel like I had the energy to walk two miles. The stress was really taking a toll on me. But one day I told her I would go to walk with her and walk the first mile with her.

Walking to Relieve Stress

After I made it the first mile I decided to go ahead and walk the second mile with her. Even though I was exhausted mentally something about walking made me feel less stressed. I started walking with my friend daily because I felt such a decrease in my stress level.

We gradually increased how far we would walk. Today we are up to five miles a day. We walk everyday, ran or shine. It is such a nice way to burn off the stress, plus we’re a lot more fit than we were when we started. I would recommend walking as a way to reduce stress for anyone.