Why is it good to walk in the fresh air? The benefits of walking. Hiking in the fresh air to improve health

Daily walks are also the key to our health. Not less than proper nutrition or good dream. However, how many minutes or hours do you spend a day on fresh air? Most people consider walking from home to work and back, yes, even to the shops. But these are not full-fledged walks, and there is not much benefit from them.

Be sure to walk in parks every day, where the air is at least a little cleaner, where there are a lot of trees, where it is not so noisy. While you are walking, remain silent - contemplate, enjoy the rustling of leaves, the blowing of the wind, the beauty of the world around you. Mentally distance yourself from problems and worries. Give yourself a break.

Such walks will bring many health benefits:

1) Stress relief
During long walks, work returns to normal nervous system, your heart rate decreases, your soul rests. It has been scientifically proven that people who walk every day almost do not suffer from depression and attacks of apathy/melancholy, etc. They are quick-witted and difficult to offend or anger.

2) Mental relief
Imagine how nice it would be to take a walk after a hard day at work, especially if it was a tough one. There are moments when you cannot relax, your brain seems to go blank and you cannot concentrate, you just want to switch off... A walk will relieve you of this state. Don't be lazy.

3) Improved memory and vision
Also held Scientific research and the results showed that those who take leisurely walks and contemplate every day the world, memory and vision improves. Of course, for the performance to really improve, it is recommended to walk in the forest or at least, in quiet, uncrowded parks, for example, early in the morning, when the city is still sleeping.

4) Creative thinking
Being in nature increases your ability to think creatively. It’s not for nothing that many creative people They love nature so much and get inspired. While walking, great ideas may come to mind, and you may suddenly realize a solution to your problem.

5) Cheerfulness and lightness
Remember that movement is our life! Anyone who walks every day feels cheerful and light throughout the day! Tom doesn’t feel like sleeping after lunch, his productivity and efficiency increases, along with his mood!

Friends, take more walks and enjoy nature. This is a fun way to take care of your health!

It has long been explained by doctors, and it itself is recommended by trainers. However, most people still look for a minibus when heading to the store. Some even go to the stall to buy cigarettes by car. And everyone complains about a “beer belly”, heart problems and weakness in the legs if they have to stand in line.

We lose weight without problems

In the list of benefits of walking, the most attractive item for many will be getting rid of excess weight. People usually start thinking about health when problems with it begin, but they worry about attractiveness almost from the moment they begin to lose it. And this is even good: by starting to walk to lose weight, a person will also improve his health.

Researchers have found that the benefits of walking for getting slim are much higher than from regular visits. gym. Walking more effective than diets and gives a more lasting result, unless, of course, it is accompanied by gluttony. When walking, you burn off as much fat in half an hour as you spend in the gym in an hour. And at the same time, you don’t have to pay for such training. In addition, the loads during walking are natural and evenly distributed. You are not at risk of sore throat or overload separate groups muscles. And an additional bonus is improved posture if at first you train yourself to walk with your shoulders turned. By the way, this is not difficult to do: just wear a slightly loaded backpack on both straps.

Let's say no to old age

The undoubted benefits of walking are also observed for those who want to delay the onset of senile infirmity as far as possible. Most common reason age-related mortality - strokes and heart attacks. And they are caused by weakness of blood vessels and heart muscle. To strengthen them, static loads - lifting weights, exercising on exercise machines, etc. - are not very suitable. But clean air, rhythmic movements and uniformity of load cope with the task perfectly. The pressure stabilizes - the vessels stop experiencing excessive stress. The heart catches the desired rhythm and is not overloaded, while simultaneously strengthening.

We fight apathy and depression

Another reason for rapid aging is stress, which our lives cannot do without, even if we carefully avoid unpleasant impressions and sensations. Another benefit of walking is that it quickly and without medication eliminates the consequences of nervous shock.

European doctors conducted a large-scale study age group from 40 to 65 years. It was carried out long years and gave stunning results: the risk of heart disease drops by almost half if people just walk at a brisk pace for about three hours every day. In addition, senile dementia, atherosclerosis and other diseases that are common at their age were not observed among those who loved to walk.

We prevent dangerous diseases

The list of benefits of walking is long and convincing. His most compelling points are:

Reducing “bad” cholesterol in the blood naturally to a minimum. This means preventing the occurrence of diseases associated with it.
The likelihood of diabetes mellitus decreases by at least one third.
In women, the risk of getting a breast tumor is noticeably reduced, in men - prostate cancer, and in both - intestinal cancer.
Without medical intervention (including medications), the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized.
The risk of developing glaucoma drops to almost zero.
Strengthening the skeleton and joints prevents the development of osteoporosis, arthritis and rheumatism.
Immunity is growing: “walkers” do not catch the virus even in the midst of epidemics.

However, to achieve such results, daily walking is required. The benefits of one-time walks are much lower.

How much do you need

The average person who leaves home only to take the bus to work and the tram to the store takes no more than 3 thousand steps on a working day. It's so small that unpleasant consequences for the body can be considered secure.

If a person is more conscious and travels to work (located nearby) on foot, he walks about 5 thousand times. Better - but still not enough. In order not to lose what nature has given you, you need to take at least 10 thousand steps daily, which will be a distance of approximately 7.5 km. At average speed, you need to travel for about two hours - and your health will not leave you.

Where and how is the best way to walk?

It is advisable to choose places for walking wisely. Naturally, if you combine walking with going to work, you won’t be able to adjust your route too much. However, walks in free time allow you to select a “useful” trajectory of movement. Parks are best suited for these purposes: there is unpolluted, clean air, fairly smooth paths that are quite suitable for walking, plus at least some nature. If there is no park nearby, choose a route away from transport arteries. At least in the courtyards of houses.

In addition, the benefits of walking are observed only if the person walks energetically. When you wander slowly and sadly, your body works in a mode not unlike rest mode.

No special equipment is required for walking. The only thing worth paying attention to is shoes. Flip-flops or heels are clearly not suitable for a long and brisk walk.

Only fresh air!

I would also like to note that walking down the street cannot in any way be replaced by using a treadmill in a sports club, even in the most intensive mode. You only need to walk outside: here you get your dose of sun, which forces your body to produce vitamin D. Without it, the healing effect will be much lower, although the weight loss effect will remain at the same level. And there is no need to make excuses with clouds. Even on a cloudy day, the sun's rays are enough to stimulate the production of valuable vitamins in the required amount.

How to train yourself to walk?

Laziness, they say, is the engine of progress. But it is also a stopcock for maintaining physical fitness. You don’t want to make unnecessary movements, and the person begins to justify himself by lack of time or other objective circumstances. However, you can unobtrusively force yourself to start walking. The methods are simple and feasible.

If your office is two stops from home, walk to and from work. If you cannot do without a trip by transport, get off one stop earlier when traveling by metro and two stops earlier if you travel by minibus, tram or trolleybus.
Don’t take your “brakes” with you to work, take a walk to a cafe for lunch. And not the closest.
Forget the elevator. Even if you live on the 20th floor, walk. To begin with, just go down, and eventually go back home along the stairs. In addition to losing weight, improving your health and developing your “breathing”, by summer you will also gain elastic buttocks, with which you won’t be ashamed to show up on the beach even in a swimsuit with a thong.

Having appreciated all the benefits of walking, every person should make the first effort and maintain it throughout his life. Unless, of course, he wants to remind himself of a ruin in his early old age and regret missed opportunities. In the end, it's just fun to walk. If you can't walk aimlessly, challenge yourself to walk to the beach, a museum, or your favorite cafe. Or find a like-minded person to talk to while walking. Or get yourself a dog.

Since childhood, we have heard about how useful it is to be in the fresh air, and now we ourselves say these words to our children, without thinking about what this very “fresh” air is and why it is so useful?

Let's try to figure it out. And first, seven facts about air:

Fact one

Air is a mixture of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), carbon dioxide (normally 0.3%) and several inert gases.

Humans need oxygen to live. After all, 90% of the energy that is produced in our bodies is produced as a result of the combustion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates obtained from food in oxygen. Without this, there will be no energy - and the body will die. That is why, in the absence of oxygen supply, death occurs. And air is its only source.

At the same time, in enclosed spaces (especially in cities) the air consists mostly of carbon dioxide. And if we remember that it accumulates closer to the surface of the earth (floor), it becomes clear: the shorter a person is, the more he suffers from this, the more dangerous it is for him to constantly be in “stale air.” And children also love to play on the floor - where the concentration of carbon dioxide is highest.

Fact two

Carbon dioxide is harmless in small doses. However, even a three percent concentration in the air causes people significant discomfort, including a feeling of suffocation. A concentration of 5 - 6% can cause fainting and even death. Of course, this happens extremely rarely. However, it is necessary to ventilate rooms as often as possible, especially those in which there are children. This must be done at any time of the year, in any weather. Are you concerned about your children's health? Just take them out of the room you will be ventilating.

Fact three

All people are sensitive to excess levels of carbon dioxide in the air. But especially children under 12 years old. It is on them that he has the greatest impact. strong impact. They are the ones who suffer from it faster increased concentration in the air. Therefore, if you notice that the child is lethargic, absent-minded, and often yawns, try to provide access to fresh air in the room. Perhaps it's all about carbon dioxide.

Fact four

Air has very low thermal conductivity and is able to absorb a large number of moisture. Thanks to this, moving air carries away vapors human body, thereby cooling it. And this is necessary to maintain normal temperature, especially in the heat. You need to understand that air is moving only if there is wind or when a person moves.

At the same time, active movements of a person, and even more so of several or many people in a room, contribute to an increase in the respiratory rate, and therefore an increase in the volume of exhaled carbon dioxide. In the air exhaled by people, its content can reach 3 - 5%. And this is already an unsafe amount for us (see Fact Three). Therefore, it is best to move actively - play, play sports - outdoors. And children, who are normally much more active than us adults, especially need regular long walks and a constant flow of fresh air.

Fact five

Fresh air has a beneficial effect on the brain and prevents its aging. American scientists have proven this. After a series of studies, it was found that regular walks in the fresh air increase brain volume by about 2%, while neglecting them reduces it by 1.5%. It would seem like minor changes, but they seriously improve or worsen the quality of life.

Interestingly, those who walk at least three times a week for at least 40 minutes have an increase in those areas of the brain that are responsible for memory. Therefore, “walkers” are much less likely to suffer from age-related deterioration memory. At the same time, in order to help your brain develop faster or age more slowly, you don’t have to move intensely; regular walks without additional stress are enough. So, if you're not too keen on hanging out with your kids, think about the benefits of being outdoors for both your kids and yourself.

Fact six

Fresh air improves the functioning of several systems in our body. In addition to the brain (see Fact five), it is very necessary for normal operation nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as organs gastrointestinal tract. Walking in the fresh air is beneficial for both children and adults who have problems with overweight. And the point is not only that during walks the child moves much more than at home, and it is not possible to eat something tasty at the first opportunity. But thanks to fresh air, metabolism improves and the circulatory system activates. Moreover, all this happens in a soft mode, without excessive loads. In addition, walking strengthens muscles, ligaments, joints and contributes to the formation of correct posture.

Fact seven

Fresh air is for absolutely everyone. Even for those who are sick, doctors recommend ventilating the rooms in which they are located as often as possible. There is no overdose from prolonged exposure to fresh air. Well, perhaps among residents of megacities who suddenly escaped into nature. Yes, and they have “strange” sensations from the fact that there is no usual “gas chamber” around, quickly pass, giving way to good health and the same mood. It is in the fresh air that our strength is restored faster than anywhere else. And neglecting walks is fraught with a decrease in the body's defenses, physical weakness and even the appearance of chronic fatigue syndrome.

As you can see, the notorious “fresh air” is really necessary and useful for us. Especially if you use its influence correctly.

Let's walk properly

You also need to be able to walk. Our children are often so busy during the school year that only toddlers and kindergarteners, for whom walks are an essential part of their daily routine, regularly take walks. Schoolchildren’s “walks,” alas, most often consist of short runs between home, school, and various classes and sections. And this is very little. Therefore, try to ensure that children spend as much time as possible outdoors at least on weekends. If possible, choose sport sections, whose classes are held not indoors, but outdoors.

Although, as has been said, even a sedentary stay in the fresh air is beneficial, it is still better for children to walk as actively as possible. For adults, leisurely walking along the alleys of the park is a wonderful pastime (and even then not for everyone), and for children, decorously following the hand with their mother is usually a martyr's torment, from which they get tired much more than from running, jumping and climbing all over the place. more or less suitable surfaces for this. Parents should be understanding about this arrangement of children and make sure that their children have the opportunity not only to breathe fresh air, but also to move more.

Everyone knows about the benefits of sea, mountain and forest air. But even in big city you can find places where you can breathe easier and the air tastes better. And we’re not just talking about parks and squares. Walk with your children in courtyards fenced off from roads by tall buildings, where harmful effects exhaust gases are much less than those of highways.

Walking is also useful immediately after rain, when the dust is nailed to the ground and the air is saturated with ions.

Encourage children to take walks after a heavy meal, before bed, while recovering from illness, etc. In general, from childhood, instill in them the habit of walks, trips to nature, and games in the fresh air. Come up with a common thing that doesn’t allow you to stay inside four walls.

If both you and your children are desperate homebodies, and you can cope with the established habit of going out only in cases emergency There's no way you can... Loving your pet is sure to get you and your kids off the couch. At first, of course, it won’t be easy, but soon you will definitely get used to it, and three daily walks will become a pleasure.

Improving air quality in the apartment

Even if a child walks a lot, he spends much more time indoors. What to do about it?

Try to choose for your child whenever possible. kindergarten or a school located away from major roads, in green areas.
Ventilate your apartment more often.
Don't forget to regularly vacuum and wet clean the house, even if it seems that the rooms are completely clean.
“Place” indoor plants in the nursery and other rooms.
Wash the ventilation grilles from time to time so that dust accumulation on them does not interfere with air access.
If possible, purchase an air purifier and/or humidifier.

What are air baths and what are they for?

The above-mentioned ability of air to cool the body, doing it as gently as possible, is used in numerous hardening systems. Air baths are beneficial for everyone, even babies, and even more so for older children. And summer - best time to start hardening the children. It is only important to know a few nuances:

If a child is often sick, air baths will help him. Moreover, it is better to start taking them not on the street, but in a well-ventilated area.
The air temperature in the room where air baths are carried out should be 5 - 7 degrees below comfortable (also called thermoneutral).
At a thermoneutral temperature, it is pleasant for a person to be in the room; he does not feel hot, but at the same time there is no desire to get dressed.
Children under eight years old do not need to specially lower the temperature in the room for hardening, since for a child five to seven years old the comfortable temperature is 26 - 27 degrees. Those. Hardening occurs already at twenty to twenty-two degrees. And in most of our apartments this is just the usual temperature. However, if a child aged eight years and older is often sick or weakened, you can start taking air baths at room temperature.
How older child, the lower the comfortable temperature for him. For adults it is 23 - 24 degrees. Therefore, for children over eight years old, the usual room temperature no longer suitable for hardening.
The air temperature for hardening should be as follows: preschoolers and first-graders - 20 degrees; older children - 19 degrees; adults - 18 degrees and below.
It is necessary to take air baths, gradually increasing the time from several minutes for newborns and 25 - 30 minutes for five to six year olds.
For children school age Air baths alone are not enough for hardening; a whole range of measures is required. However, there are many benefits from them, so pediatricians advise not to neglect the opportunity to strengthen the child’s body and carry out air baths.

Photo - photobank Lori

The benefits of walking in the fresh air.

Parents often try to limit the time their child spends walking, although pediatricians and child psychologists have long proven that children benefit from long walks in the fresh air.

To maximize the benefits of a walk, experts advise walking and breathing fresh air with your children. Such walks are very useful for children. Thanks to children, adults become more organized.

Walking is the simplest and surest way to harden a child.

It is necessary to walk with your child at any time of the year and in any weather, and the duration of the walk should be adjusted in accordance with weather conditions.

. Walk in the airis the best means of promoting health, increasing immunity, and therefore prevention colds in children and adults. Besides, walk helps increase the child's appetite. Metabolism improves nutrients are better absorbed. Thanks towalks in the fresh airNatural cleansing of the body occurs, the upper respiratory tract functions better.

IN summer time a child can be outdoors all day long.It’s good if it’s a holiday in the country, where there is an opportunity to hide from the rain and scorching sun.

Walk is an excellent remedy prevention of visual impairment in children. After all, on the street, where there is so much space, the child constantly has to move his gaze from nearby objects to objects distant from him.

Walk - This the best remedy prevention of rickets in children. The body is saturated with ultraviolet radiation, which is responsible for the production of vitamin D in the body.

While walking the baby appears a lot positive emotions and new impressions on which both his intellectual and social development depend.

A properly organized walk is the key to a good mood.

In order for a child to be active outdoors, you need to choose the right clothes. It should not restrict the child’s movements, prevent him from jumping and running. Do not put too many things on your baby, this can only cause harm, lead to overheating, and then to a cold. Touch the baby's neck from the back. If it is dry and warm, everything is fine; if it is wet and hot, the child is hot and sweaty, then you need to go home. If the neck is cool, the baby is freezing and should be insulated.

In order for the walk to be interesting and fun, parents must know how to entertain the child.

In the summer there can be games with a ball, a jump rope, word games, observations of the surrounding world (living and inanimate nature). In winter - with snow, sledding, solving riddles, ice skating.

On the topic: methodological developments, presentations and notes

Consultation for parents "The benefits of walking in the fresh air for children"

Walking occupies an important place in a child’s life. During a walk, the child learns about the world around him, learns to communicate with peers, and the walk also has health benefits. Will give birth...

The benefits of walking in the fresh air.

How does fresh air affect a person’s condition? It is known that fresh air, saturated with oxygen and moderately ionized, has the most positive effect on a person and helps to strengthen...

We all know that being outdoors is beneficial. This is especially true for those who conduct most day in a stuffy office space. But, if you ask a question “What is the actual benefit of such walks?“, most of us will still experience some difficulty with the answer. We are simply accustomed to the fact that this is just another life cliché that is not subject to discussion. So, today we’ll just talk about what happens in our body during such air exercise and such walks... The walks that you and I take in the clean air ( clean air is the key to the benefits of such walks) have a very strong impact on our bodies beneficial effect. Besides what we are on full breasts we inhale oxygen, our breathing quickens, our heart begins to beat faster, and, circulatory system begins to function as it should. As a result of all this, metabolic processes in our body improve, beads of sweat appear on the skin, along with which impurities and toxins are removed from our body. In addition, when we walk, all the muscles of our body are strengthened, every ligament and every joint, and our musculoskeletal system both rests and moves... Walking itself helps us develop correct posture, and we stop slouching and clamp your internal organs. It is especially important to walk for people who are overweight - with every step you take, you burn your weight. extra calories and become slimmer. And, even while you walk, there is a natural shaking of all the fluids in your body, which prevents elementary stagnation of blood. Your walking is movement. And, without movement, our body simply atrophies. In this way, while walking in the fresh air, step by step, you charge it with energy and strength, and in gratitude, your body begins to fight viruses and diseases more intensively, because its immunity, thanks to your walks, has become stronger and more resilient. During such walks, you saturate your brain cells with the oxygen it needs, you begin to think better and no longer complain of headaches, fatigue or insomnia. Even if after such a walk you feel tired, it will be a pleasant feeling that will give you strong and healthy sleep. From a psychological point of view, such walks are also very, very useful for our psychological state and nervous system. So, for example, if after a saturated working day, you feel simply empty and exhausted, but, however, the most stupid thoughts creep into your head, a short walk will help you take your mind off your thoughts. The main thing is not to think about what happened or what will happen. Enjoy what you have now - fresh air and your rhythmic walking, which restores the strength of your body.

If at least twice a day, morning and evening, on the way to and from work, instead of winning your place in public transport, choose a route away from the roadway and walk to your destination - a few weeks after such walks become useful and healthy habit, you will notice that you not only feel better, but also have a more positive outlook on the world, your appetite has improved and you no longer suffer from insomnia.

It is noteworthy that such walks are useful at any time of the year. And, even in winter, so you can start applying what you learned today... today! True, depending on weather conditions, as well as on your age, and on the level of your hardiness and physical fitness, the duration of your walks varies. Therefore, you should not immediately, without first hardening your body, walk for several hours in a row at low sub-zero temperatures. By doing this you will only harm your body, upset its thermal balance, and this, in turn, will cause hypothermia, then, for several days, when you lie with a runny nose and fever, you obviously will not have time for walks... If in your opinion , just walking and breathing fresh air is not enough, you can combine your walks with active species outdoor sports. So, in winter it could be skating or skiing, in the rest of the year it could be playing ball, badminton, tennis... And finally, one more interesting fact, confirming the benefits of walking in the fresh air.

British researchers from the University of Bristol conducted a study of a group of children. It turned out that those children who regularly spend time in the fresh air are less likely to suffer from such an ophthalmological problem as myopia. This is explained by the fact that sunlight has a positive effect on the retina of the eye.

When making a schedule for the coming day, do not forget to allocate time for walks in the fresh air. Find time for yourself and your health! Shevtsova Olga

Say "Thank you":

2 comments to the article “Walking in the fresh air will strengthen your body” - see below