One of the first things you might do when going for a walk is reach for your headphones. But a new trend on social media is encouraging people to walk device — and distraction — free.
Rather than plugging in a podcast or bringing along a friend for company, the silent walking trend is about getting physical exercise without needing a device or other people to fill the silent void.
The benefits of walking are well documented, but proponents say silent walking may be particularly beneficial for your mental and emotional well-being. The trend has grown in popularity since TikTok creator Mady Maio told social media users that her nutritionist had advised her to walk for 30 minutes a day “instead of doing insane cardio”. To amplify the benefits, her boyfriend suggested she walk distraction-free.
In a video, Maio says he challenged her to walk with “no air pods, no podcasts, no music.”
Since then Silent Walking has become a trending movement with countless people saying it gives them time alone with their thoughts and allows them to feel calmer and think more clearly.
Of course, walking without distractions is nothing new, but in today’s busy world, being present and distraction-free is becoming more and more of a rarity for many people and experts say it can help boost physical, mental, and emotional health too. Health benefits of silent walking
Therapist Tracy Richardson believes the popularity of silent walking is a direct result of our increasingly busy lifestyles. It’s a way for us to find some much-needed quiet.
“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,” she reasons.
“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.” One of the biggest benefits of silent walking may well be its ability to relieve stress and anxiety.
“Modern living often puts you into fight or flight mode and switches on the sympathetic part of your autonomic nervous system,” Richardson explains.
“This response should be reserved for acute situations where you need to run away or stand and fight – it’s not designed for chronic situations, and when it’s continually stimulated it stresses the body and mind.”
Richardson describes silent walking as an opportunity to step away from this stress, “drop back into your body” and notice how you are feeling.
“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 surmises.
Making time for mindfulness in this way may not only help you feel calmer and clearer-headed, it can have a knock-on effect on your physical health as well.
Richardson says this is because when we walk distraction-free we are reducing our exposure to stressors, such as noise.
This, she says, allows our body to get into the parasympathetic state of rest, restoration, and digestion.
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