The development of our modern civilization and the advancements of technology could be praised without end for several days. Inventions of ease and pleasure have brought us the toilet, the light bulb, and the telephone. Our beloved technology has brought us the microwave, the computer, the cell phone, the GPS, the television and so much more. The development of all these necessities and luxuries has had one rather sour effect though…we have become a sedentary people. We sit at a desk all day long and we sit and watch television all night long. We sit in office chairs, we sit in ergonomic chairs, we sit on yoga balls, we sit on couches, we sit, sit, sit. With all our sitting, we shall soon become kin to the sloth.

While much of our sitting is necessary…rather hard to type and stand at the same time…adding a short walk to the daily routine can be very helpful and healthful. Walking gets most of your body moving at least a little bit and it is an exercise that everyone can do to some extent. Here are some of the benefits of taking an evening/morning walk.

1. Weight loss- The first and most obvious benefit to walking is weight loss or at least the prevention of weight gain. The amount of loss will depend greatly on the amount of effort you put into your walk.

2. Aging- Regular exercise, like walking, can slow the aging process that our body goes through. Aging won’t stop of course, but good exercise can make you feel a few years younger.

3. Extra heart- Walking every day can reduce your risk for heart disease and lower your blood pressure.

4. Less stress- During most exercising, your body will release endorphins, which can help you to feel happier and less stressed. So if you’re feeling a bit down take a walk for a quick, natural pick-me-up.

5. Metabolism- Sitting can decrease the rate at which we burn fat, so walking or other regular exercise can help to slowly increase our metabolism.