This One Practice Can Supercharge The Mental Health Benefits Of Your Walk

Don't worry; we're not going to tell you to always avoid wearing headphones while walking. But as award-winning writer Annabel Streets, author of 52 Ways To Walk, shares on the mindbodygreen podcast, there are benefits to listening to nature while you walk—specifically on days you're looking for some extra relaxation. 

So if you do need some peace while walking through the city, using headphones to cancel out any noise may still be helpful, and Streets agrees. "I would absolutely listen to a podcast—not all the time but quite often," she says. In addition, that same study showed that a voiced meditation may also help ease stress and increase happiness—so that's always an option too. 

Plus, if you don't have access to nature space without city background noise, there are a host of other ways you can promote a sense of relaxation on your walk. Exercise itself, we should mention, is a helpful stress-reliever, as is meditation—try this 10-minute guided moment of peace. You can also turn to daily supplements to help bring your body back to baseline and relieve stress before it builds up into a problem.* Utilizing powerful, plant-based ingredients (such as hemp-derived CBD, ashwagandha, and lavender oil) is another way to support your mood throughout the day, especially if birdsongs aren't exactly right outside your door.* Find our favorite supplements for stress here. 

There are many ways to make your daily walk more enjoyable, including stimulation via music or a podcast. But, as Streets suggests, opting for nature's music—i.e., birdsong and running water—may be a better choice if you're looking to relax or enhance your mood. That way, you can make the most of your daily walk—and you can find all of Streets' walking tips here.