by Karen Banes

Created on: January 12, 2009   Last Updated: January 15, 2009

Walking is a great low impact, low intensity exercise with a huge range of physical and other benefits. It's suitable for anyone, regardless of your fitness levels and other health problems and is a useful first step in any fitness or weight loss regime. It can also be a fantastic way to relieve stress and help you become more focused and centered.

If dealing with stress is one of the goals of your walking plan keep the following in mind.

Use your walking time as a way to put both physical and mental distance between you and the issues that are contributing to your stress levels. Find a beautiful, natural environment to walk in that takes your mind, as well as your body, away from the stressful situations in your life for a while.

Get into a rhythm. Focus on walking at a steady pace, breathing evenly and enjoying the scenery. Let your body get into a regular pattern of motion and relax any tensed muscles. Think positive thoughts or empty your mind completely if that works for you. Some people find walking in a peaceful setting a great form of meditation.

Alternatively, some people find walking time is a good time to think through problems and assess possible solutions. Sometimes a change of environment can inspire a creative answer to a question that's bugging you. This can be particularly true if your work environment is very static. Just being out there in motion can give you that much needed change of perspective.

Enjoy the elements. Don't miss a walk because of the weather, unless it is so extreme it will turn the experience into an ordeal. Weather is one of the wonderful things about walking. Walking in the rain, or on a blustery day, or on freshly fallen snow all have different benefits and their own unique stress relieving properties, so dress appropriately and get out there.

Consider enlisting a walking buddy. This will not only keep you motivated but give you someone to talk, laugh and vent with all good stress relieving activities in their own right.

See if you can use your walk to avoid other activities you find stressful. If you can walk to work, walk the kids to school or run errands on foot, this could save you the stress of commuter transit, driving, finding a parking space or car pooling with that woman/those kids you really don't like but feel committed to now.

Lastly, walk briskly enough to get some of the health benefits walking can offer. They include lowered blood pressure and increased heart health, both of which can be negatively affected by high stress levels.

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