Artists and Writers: Walk for Health and Creativity

Writers who sit for too much of their working day can seriously harm their health.

Sitting for long periods of time can have a negative impact on your health. Studies have shown that it is linked to a number of health concerns, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

Sitting for long periods of time can also increase your risk of death. One study found that people who sat for more than eight hours a day had a 40% increased risk of death from any cause, compared to people who sat for less than four hours a day.

If you have to sit for long periods of time, there are things you can do to reduce the risk to your health. Get up and move around every 30 minutes, or even more often if possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and walk or bike instead of driving whenever possible.

However, exercises can help writers stay healthy and build strength to offset any potential ill effects from sitting for extended periods. Exercises such as yoga can be great for physical health and posture. Additionally, taking regular breaks to move around is beneficial to overall health, as it allows the body to stretch and relax from the sedentary posture of prolonged writing sessions. Incorporating exercises as part of a daily routine may seem like too much of a distraction when you are head down on your manuscript, and your daily word goal is in reach. Or you’re looking for that breakthrough.

But with some planning, it can become part of an efficient workflow and result in improved physical well-being.

The simplest exercise. Go for a walk.

Walking is a common form of exercise used by many writers. Stephen King walks. Charles Dickens walked. Henry David Thoreau walked.

Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow, as if I had given vent to the stream at the lower end and consequently new fountains flowed into it at the upper. A thousand rills which have their rise in the sources of thought burst forth and fertilize my brain

Henry David Thoreau, Walking

A 20 to 30 minutes walk will…

• A fast-paced walk will burn around 90 to 150 calories
• It’ll promote healthy neural pathways and keep you sharp as you age.
• Mental Benefits of Walking – Walking for just 30 minutes a day can help to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to a report by the Mental Health Foundation
• Enhances cardiovascular health – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), walking helps to improve blood flow and cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Improves mobility – Regular walking can help improve joint flexibility, balance, and coordination, which can help reduce the risk of falls in older adults.
• Helps to maintain a healthy weight – Walking is an effective form of exercise that helps to burn calories and prevent weight gain.
• How to look after your mental health using exercise – Walking helps to improve circulation, which can provide the body with more oxygen and help to increase energy levels.

Let’s face it, if you have been facing down your screen or typewriter for hours, you need to move. Get some fresh inspiration, even your mom would tell you. “Go for a walk,” it’s also a great excuse to head to the store and pick up some chocolate or a fresh piece of fruit. Just sayin’, don’t we all need a little reward? After all, we went for a walk!

Sources and resources

• AHA (2017). Why is Walking the Most Popular Form of Exercise?
• CDC Walking.
• NPR Walking Fends Off Loss Of Mobility, And It’s Not Too Late To Start.
• MHF (2020) How to look after your mental health using exercise
• WebMD Mental Benefits of Walking October 25, 2021

Disclaimer, because…

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