Star’s Lifestyle Tips: It’s Walktober this month! Here are 5 benefits of walking

Oct 13, 2020. It’s Walktober this October, and to celebrate this global day, we researched the benefits of this very simple, accessible AND affordable form of exercise. Just 15 minutes a day getting outdoors for a walk provides a wide range of physical and mental health benefits. In fact, studies have shown that you’ll receive more health benefits if you walk daily for a shorter time. Fifteen minutes a day is better than an hour twice a week.

Here are five benefits of walking which apply to all ages.

1. Walking improves mental health and emotional wellbeing

Walking is an excellent antidote for low energy, confusion, feelings of sadness or depression. Firstly walking causes you to look upwards and around you, breathe more and take in the environment which has neuro-psychological benefit. It instantly lifts your mood and it doesn’t require too much effort. In this study by the Black Dog Institute and the University of NSW, 150 minutes per week of mild exercise was associated with a 22 per cent risk reduction of depression.

2. Walking reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cholesterol and high blood pressure

According to the heart foundation of Australia, 150 minutes of walking per week reduces your risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

3. Walking improves your concentration, focus and problems solving abilities

Increasing research shows that if you engage in regular exercise such as walking, it builds your powers of focus and concentration. This leads to developing better problem solving skills. Fresh air, increased oxygen, sunshine and feeling connected to your community, all of which a simple walk provides, do wonders for your smarts!

4. Walking manages your weight

Walking helps you maintain the weight you want, and if you increase your pace it will help you lose weight. Moderate walking is about 100 steps per minute to maintain good overall fitness and your current weight. If you want to lose weight, walk for 30 minutes or more per day and increase your pace to 130 steps per minute.

5. Walking helps to stabilise blood sugar

According to this study, people with diabetes or at risk of developing diabetes will benefit from walking more. The physiological changes in your body when you walk allow the body to manage blood glucose more effectively and minimise the incidence of diabetes.

Let’s get walking

The easiest way to make sure you are walking daily is to make it part of your normal activities – grocery shopping, the local café, picking the kids up from school.

You can contact your local council for walking groups in your neighbourhood or visit the Heart Foundation website here to find out about walking groups nearby.

We wouldn’t suggest walking to one of our laundromats with your washing, but if it’s only a light load – why not! Check out our locations below.

Star Laundromats bring you lifestyle tips, laundry tips and state-of-the-art laundromats!

Our laundromats have 9kg, 14kg and 19kg washing machines for small or large loads as well as dryers which get the average load dry in less than half an hour. You’ll cut your laundry time by 50% and there’s free WiFi (and free detergent) to sit and relax while the washing gets done.

Cashless and Coin-operated

If you prefer a cashless experience, log into Eziwash and follow the easy steps. We have a 2 minute video here if you’d like to see it in action.

What our customers are saying:

"I thought laundromats had peaked. Which was disappointing considering how far everything else had come with the times. Then a friend took me to STAR and I have never looked back. I can't get over the ease of doing laundry now! I love the payment system and that the detergent adds itself. And how clean everything is! I don't feel like I have to immediately wash the clothes I visited a laundromat in! Then I found out it was open 24hrs AND has free wifi?? Pick my jaw up off your sparkling floor." Vicki.

“Clean environment, conveniently located, with machines that are easy to use. No problems with the cashless method to use the machines. Large wet load completely dry in 45 mins, and great coffee from across the road!” Ian.

Read more testimonials here.

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Photo by Bob Oh on Unsplash.

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