'Silent walking' could 'change your life' and help you live for longer
How many of us have reached for the headphones when we're heading out on a walk? Now a new trend on social media is encouraging people to walk completely distraction-free. Rather than plugging in a podcast, listening to music, or bringing a friend along for company, the 'silent walking' trend focuses on getting physical exercise without needing a device to fill the void.
The idea is to be alone with your thoughts, and to allow time and space for your mind to think more clearly. It has fast become TikTok's latest wellness obsession; a blend of meditation and exercise that aims to improve mental health. Countless people have praised the movement, stating that it allows them to feel calmer.
The benefits of walking are well-documented. Research has shown that walking for as little as 10 extra minutes a day may lead to a longer life. And a 2020 study in The Journal of Environmental Psychology found that a 30-minute walk in an urban park reduced the amount of time that people dwelled on negative thoughts. Walking has also been shown to improve creativity and help fend off depression.
Of course, the idea of walking with modern tech is nothing new, and the trend has attracted ridicule in some quarters, with critics joking: "Gen Z thinks it just invented walking." But in today's busy world, being present and distraction-free is becoming more and more rare.
Therapist Tracy Richardson told: "Silent walking has become more popular recently due to needing an escape from the 24/7, always-on, hustle culture we have evolved into as a society. There is so much 'noise' that surrounds us daily, and I believe it's a kickback against this, reestablishing those conscious connections with the self and learning to slow down. Silent walking brings you into the present moment so you are aware of yourself and your environment. It is the difference between being mindful and having a mind full," she concludes.
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Mady Maio, a podcaster, claims credit for "unintentionally" starting the movement that she says can "change your life." In a TikTok video, she revealed that it was her partner who initially encouraged her to go on a stroll without any distractions. "There will be no AirPods, podcasts, or music. It's just me, myself, and I," she says in the video.
She admits to being resistant at first. "My anxiety could never," she adds, before revealing that while the first two minutes were mental "mayhem", that feeling eventually gave way to a "flow state". She says her brain fog lifted and ideas started popping into her head because she was "giving them space to enter".
"When you're listening to a podcast or music, you're distracting yourself. You're not letting the signs and the ideas have space to come to you," Mady adds. "Every time I finish a silent walk, I have a new idea from my business, I've untangled a weird situation in my head that I've been ruminating over, and I feel like a lot of my current question marks get answered. Just try it out, trust me!"
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