SEE your way to better health

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Remember, walking is free.

There are no costly fitness center membership fees. Reward yourself with the money saved when you meet your goals. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.

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We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Walking Your Way to Better Health There are many health benefits to walking, including lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, lowering the risk of diabetes, and improving the quality of sleep. Walking 10, steps a day is especially beneficial to your heart. This article discusses how to get started, presents a walking plan for beginners, and provides tips to help keep you motivated.

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How will walking make me healthier? Walking has health benefits beyond what you may think. Lowers blood sugar levels -- which lowers the risk of diabetes. Strengthens and builds bone -- a change that decreases the risk and pain of osteoarthritis. Exercise makes the brain release the body's natural chemical pain killers ie, endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin.

The release of these chemicals make you feel better right away. Improves the quality of sleep Helps to reach weight loss goals and maintains a healthy weight. Improves muscle strength -- helps the body maintain mobility, strength, flexibility and endurance. Reduces the risk of colon cancer.

How far should I walk each day? Take a morning and evening walk around your neighborhood Walk around an indoor mall Take the steps instead of the elevator Park farther away from stores Take the least direct path to other destinations Volunteer for activities that involve walking How do I get started?

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Brisk walking burns calories an hour, while walking at a moderate pace burns just One way to add more steps is to be less efficient. Instead of piling things on the stairs so you can take everything up or down at once, take each item as you find it.

After a trip to the supermarket, bring in fewer bags from the car and make more trips to the kitchen. At work, walk down the hall to see a colleague, rather than calling her on the phone or sending an e-mail. If you're trying to fit in steps where you can, make sure you carry a light bag and wear shoes with low heels, flexible forefeet, and good arch support.

Walking is your main form of exercise as it is for about 40 percent of Americans. You walk most days of the week, typically following a set route and going fast enough to get your heart rate up and keep it there for 30 minutes. A brisk walking routine will help lower blood pressure, improve glucose control which will help stave off diabetes , prevent heart disease, and tone the buttocks and legs.

The more you walk, the stronger your bones will be and the better you'll feel. People who walk five times a week for 30 minutes report that they have more energy, feel healthier, and have more confidence than those who walk infrequently, according to the U. Physical Activity Study, a survey conducted by the St. Louis University School of Public Health. Gradually add some hills. Work on your speed by taking faster steps rather than lengthening your stride.

By pushing off with them as you walk, you'll be able to build your strength and stamina, according to a study conducted by the Cooper Institute, a nonprofit health-research facility in Dallas. Participants burned 20 percent more calories when walking with poles. And because the poles provide support and improve balance, walking with them is gentler on the knees. To avoid burnout or boredom, continually set new routes, then push yourself to complete them in less time. Look for different paths using Google's Gmaps Pedometer gmap-pedometer. Enter your ZIP code in the "Jump to" field and the map will zero in on your neighborhood.

By taking challenging hikes on weekends, up and down hills, you get a workout as well as the mental benefits of being in nature. Walking on varied terrain builds strength, stamina, and balance which helps prevent falls as you age. You'll develop tight glutes and toned thighs, even more than you would from the average walking workout.

Also, when you walk uphill, your energy expenditure is greater than when you're on a flat surface. Be active during the week. Men lack special built-in pillows, cushions, and blankets. They are also more muscular than women-better suited for strenuous physical labor. In short, men are meant to do all the work and women are meant to sleep in the sun.

Sleep is good for everyone, however, whether male or female.

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Most men can get just as much pleasure and benefit from a sleep program as women. They should start in at a little lower level, however, and take care not to try to progress too rapidly. Before you embark upon any rigorous sleep program you should consult your doctor and have a complete medical exam. That way, if something goes wrong, there's somebody else to blame.

When and Where to Sleep: Almost anywhere and anytime will do. As a beginner you'll probably start out doing most of your sleeping in bed, and at certain times of day. But as your experience grows, you'll start to recognize opportunities for sleeping everywhere. More is usually better. Most people should try to get at least 16 hours per day. Experts do more than 20 daily.

Marathon sleepers, who can sleep walk and sleep talk, routinely approach 24 hours per day, day in, day out, though at that point it's a little hard to tell. What About My Job?

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