• Mental Health

Are Mental Health Walks Actually Helpful?

Published: July 07, 2025
Updated: July 07, 2025
4 mins

As human beings, our bodies were never intended to stay in one place for too long. A mental health walk, affectionately referred to as a “hot girl walk” on social media, is a convenient way to get your body moving in the middle of the day. 

Whether it’s playing a sport, running, or simply going for a leisurely walk, getting active benefits your health both physically and mentally. A mental health walk can be as long or as short as you want it. Generally, many people go for around 30 minutes in the middle of a long day or early in the morning before work. Health experts found that walking for just 30 minutes for three days straight improved health outcomes in study participants.

What is a Mental Health Walk?

A mental health walk is taking time out of your day to get up and walk around for around 30 minutes to an hour. Health experts recommend walking for around 150 minutes every week for optimal health outcomes.

You can tailor your mental health walk to what makes you feel most comfortable. You can take a mental health walk with friends to talk and catch up, or go for a silent, peaceful walk around a park alone. It’s also common for people to listen to music or a podcast while walking. 

During high-stress times in your life, it may be beneficial to walk aimlessly for a bit without focusing too much on your destination. If you can’t get outside, short walks inside a mall, exercise facility, or even around your home may help you clear your mind.

What are the Mental Health Benefits of Going for a Mental Health Walk?

When you’re having a hard time regulating your emotions, going for a walk is one way you can reset your thought processes. You may know someone in your life who goes for walks to clear their mind or think about something more deeply. While it’s clear how much better you feel after a walk, changes are happening in your brain that may be less obvious.

Lowers your risk of depression

Health experts have found that going for a walk can increase blood circulation and affect mood-boosting chemicals in the brain. For those with anxiety and depression, this can be especially beneficial for managing negative thoughts and emotions.

Provides an opportunity to build community

A mental health walk is one of the many ways you can reconnect with loved ones you may not have as much time to talk to otherwise. You can also use your mental health walk as an opportunity to develop friendships with new people. You can invite a new coworker or someone in your neighborhood to walk with you to get to know them better in a calming environment.

Strengthens cognitive function

As you get older, it’s natural to experience a gradual cognitive decline. Health experts have found that walking briskly consistently for a few minutes a day for two years improved cognitive function in elderly women. Walking can even help curb the desire to engage in unhealthy habits like eating too much sugar or drinking excessively to deal with stress.

Physical Health Benefits of Going for a Mental Health Walk

In addition to the neurological benefits of going for a walk, walking can also improve other areas of your well-being. The following physical health benefits of going for a mental health walk are more likely to occur when you become more consistent with going for a mental health walk every week or every day. 

Maintain joint health

Elderly adults who get in the habit of walking daily have found better mobility in their joints for longer. Some studies have found that walking daily can help alleviate daily knee pain. Walking may also help those with arthritis prevent the worsening of symptoms.

May prevent high blood pressure

Getting more exercise is one of many ways you can change lifestyle habits to reduce your risk of high blood pressure. Walking daily can help you keep your blood pressure in a normal range. However, keeping your blood pressure levels low is best achieved when also accompanied by a low salt diet and taking prescribed medications.

Improves your quality of sleep

Health experts believe getting more daily physical activity may improve your quality of sleep, but they still need to conduct more research. Walking daily and more intense physical activity may increase the chances that you sleep longer without interruption.

May increase your stamina

The more consistent you are with walking, the more likely you are to see improvements in stamina. Tracking how long you walk can help you set goals as well. While it’s not as intense as running, walking is a form of exercise with less of a risk of injury.

Can help with weight management

Weight management is a major component of your overall health. If you have a goal of losing or maintaining your current weight, walking is a consistent form of physical activity.

It’s one of the many ways you can get into the habit of a workout routine and gradually differentiate your exercises. Still, walking alone won’t result in weight loss without eating a well-balanced diet and cutting out harmful habits. 

Telehealth platforms like LifeMD can help you start your weight loss journey. The LifeMD Weight Management Program offers 24/7 access to advice from licensed healthcare providers, weight loss medications, and additional resources.

Additional Activities to Try

There’s no one way to take care of your mental well-being. Walking is just one of the many healthy habits you can adopt to manage stress and negative emotions. However, it’s not the only way you can get active while also relaxing the mind.

Consider trying one of the following activities to improve your mental health:

• Yoga

• Meditation

• Breathing exercises

• Hiking

• Journaling

When Would a Mental Health Walk Not Be Enough?

There’s no single solution for managing your mental health. In addition to going on walks, it’s also important to practice healthy habits like getting enough rest and eating well. 

If you have been diagnosed with a mental health condition like depression, bipolar disorder or severe anxiety disorder, carefully follow instructions from your healthcare provider on how to treat them. You may be prescribed medication along and recommended therapy to help manage these and other mental health conditions. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to a licensed healthcare provider if you’re having a hard time dealing with mental health challenges on your own.

Where Can I Learn More About Taking Care of My Mental Health?

Taking care of your mental health is key to improving other aspects of your life, like your physical health and relationships with others. 

The hardest part of changing how you approach your mental health is getting started. With LifeMD, a licensed healthcare provider can help answer any questions you may have about your mental health.

Book your appointment today to get started with exploring more healthy habits to better care for your mental health.

LifeMD makes it easy to stay on top of your health because talking to a doctor, filling your prescriptions, getting your labs done—and more—are all easy and cost-effective. Come discover a healthcare solution built around you and your life.

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