Walking and its benefits on one's mind and body

I did an interview with the Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报 on benefits of walks and in particular, about colour walks as well as other novelty walks such as, millennial walks, penny walks, ABC walks, plogging and geocaching. Do check out the online article here:

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/health/story20250506-6273228?gift=51c38c8f-575e-4082-b3d8-992ee25e7325

Credits to Lianhe zaobao team for the article. It was my honour to collaborate with Ying Zhen and her team on this interview. Yes ,that's me walking. Spent a morning out in botanic gardens with the team; we walked, chatted and did a brief photo shoot. Really felt their professionalism and passion towards their craft in my interactions with them.

The following paragraphs detail my thoughts on this topic on taking walks and its benefits on our mind and body.

According to research, engaging in physical exercises have been found to have physical and mental health benefits. Compared to other forms of exercises, walking is embraced for its simplicity and convenience as it can virtually be done in any environment at no cost. And the intensity can also be flexibly adjusted to suit individual’s needs and preferences. Hence, walking can be a fuss-free activity in which individuals engage to reap mental and physical health benefits.

In my therapy sessions, I sometimes bring my clients on “mindful walks” in outdoor as well as indoor spaces in order to introduce and guide them to the idea of integrating mindfulness into daily living. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Besides reclaiming the sense of calm, my clients who participated in these walks also reported increased clarity in their thinking afterwards. They are encouraged to continue the practice on their own, outside of therapy sessions, so that this practice can become part of daily routine or lifestyle.

Studies, focusing on the link between mental health and nature, found that green spaces, like urban parks, forests, and landscapes from a window can reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mood and well-being. Additionally, when one is in nature, especially due to one’s exposure to sunlight and phytocides from trees, it can strengthen one’s immune system and help fight infections. Walking in nature seems to have added health benefits as compared to walking in more urbanised environments. However, given that not everyone live or work near to green spaces (e.g., forest), walks in any environment is generally better than no walks at all.

Globally, as a health guideline, 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, is recommended for individuals to clock per week. However, this 150 minutes/week can be done in either one long or few short sessions based on individual’s fitness level and daily schedule. Thus, creating opportunity in one’s busy schedule to walk can be encouraged, for instance, one can alight one bus stop away or park a distance from one’s destination and walk the rest of the way.

Picture: This watercolor artwork is an impression of the walk I took in Botanic Gardens. If we slowed down to observe, we can find treasures within the nature, including heart-shaped flowers and pink dragonflies.

Colour walks and other novelty walks

Colour walk is like a nature’s scavenger hunt and it involves slowing down one’s pace and paying attention to one’s surroundings in the bid to locate objects in a target colour whilst on one’s walk. There are several advantages to this. Firstly, being mindful to colours in one’s environment can potentially offer a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life and bring some calm and focus to one’s present moment.

Secondly, the challenge of identifying object(s) in a given colour can add the element of playfulness and fun to the walk, thus potentially motivating individuals to do more of it subsequently.

Thirdly, it has been universally shown that certain hues can elicit corresponding emotional responses. For instance, yellow can trigger joy and blue can elicit sense of calm among individuals.  Hence, the use of colours in walks can likely influence one’s emotional experience while one is engaged in walking.

Colour walks remind me of the “I spy” game. I often integrate the “I spy” game, as part of my colour walks. For instance, I say, “I spy something that is yellow” – and my client will spot an item in environment that is yellow in colour. This not only introduces playfulness to an activity that can otherwise be mundane, it also makes connecting with nature and exercising a much more energising and meaningful experience for all involved.

Throughout the colour walk, I observe myself slowing down intentionally, paying attention to objects in surroundings in order to identify object in the target colour. In one of my walks, I recall spotting a pink coloured dragonfly which I never expected to be available in a given garden. This exemplifies how mindfulness enables us to notice features of our environment which we otherwise would have missed had we not slowed down and observed mindfully.

The novelty walks mentioned seem to have similarities and one is the use of the senses (e.g., sight, touch, hearing) to facilitate mindfulness. Additionally, they involve walking which in itself has health benefits as many research would attest to. As for which is more helpful than others, I would suggest viewing all of them as options and to select based on suitability to one’s lifestyle, preference and needs.

Should one be looking at a walk for quick errands or as part of travelling from point a to point b, walks that are more predictable in terms of route and time taken (e.g., plogging; listening to music while one walks) may be preferred. However, if one was looking at an adventurous and spontaneous day out in the nature, one can consider a walk that can serve that purpose such as, penny walks, geocaching.

The search for object(s) in accordance to colours and tuning in to senses, can sometimes be overwhelming for some individuals. For individuals who experience adverse effects from the walks, they can consider consulting with a mental health professional on what may be the concern or switching to conventional walks in a more familiar route or space instead.  

Lastly, just a gentle reminder on prioritising one's mental health, in addition to our physical health. Given the mind-body connection and how mental health can significantly impact on one’s physical health and vice-versa, this suggests that when one’s mental health concerns are left unattended to for some time, it may manifest as serious physical health conditions. Well, we can take an initial step to find or create opportunity for physical activity, such as taking a brisk walk around our neighbourhood. And should you require assistance on getting started on walks and/or any support for your mental health concerns, do know professional help is available.

I will continue to walk the talk and walk more to model for my clients and for my own health!

Hopefully, you find time to do so too, in your bid to prioritise your mental and physical health today!

Rooting for you as always,

Jeanice