97% walkers experience improvement in mental health: Survey

Walking not only helps one in keeping fit, but is also considered the most effective anti-depressant as 97 per cent walkers feel that it helped them experience improvement in their mental and emotional well-being, a report said today.
About 97 per cent, who walk regularly, experience improvement in their mental and emotional health, according to Max Bupa Walk for Health Survey.
Max Bupa Walk for Health Survey is a study on walking behaviour of millennials and elderly carried across four cities, including in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Jaipur.
The survey also revealed that walking helps control stress among people across age groups.

While 42 per cent of the elderly feel that walking helps beat stress, 50 per cent of the millennials experience reduction of stress and hypertension, post walking, it added.
This is the highest for millennials in Bangalore at 68 per cent, followed by Delhi (66 per cent) Mumbai (53 per cent) and Jaipur (48 per cent).

Interestingly, over 40 per cent of the respondents are motivated to walk because of interesting walking apps and gadgets that help them track their health, it said.
About 60 per cent of the respondents use gadgets while walking, it added.
Usage of gadgets is more prominent amongst millennials in Delhi (70 per cent) and Mumbai (72 per cent).

The Survey further said those who don't walk regularly are more prone to depression - nearly 15 per cent of non-walkers admitted to be suffering from depression and high stress levels.
Among the depressed patients those who walk regularly, 59 per cent said they forget about their illness while walking, 50 per cent walk to break the monotony of daily life, 39 per cent feel walking makes them happier, while 26 per cent walk to improve their work-life balance.
Walking gives 19 per cent millennials time for self-introspection, while it gives 21 per cent elderly the feeling of self-reliance.
The survey said walking helps patients with depression interact with other people outside their house. Interestingly this percentage was higher for millennials (20 per cent) as compared to the elderly (12 per cent).

About 43 per cent are unable to walk as long daily commute leaves them with no time for walking, 29 per cent get bored while walking and believe that walking will not have a positive impact on their personality, 21 per cent lack company to walk, and 21 per cent are unaware of the benefits of walking on their mental health, the survey said.