It’s the easiest and most affordable way to get active and boost our mood – putting one foot in front of the other by simply stepping outside the front door has huge benefits even if it’s just for a few minutes.
And while this simple activity is already doing wonders for our physical and mental health, there’s one simple thing you can do to make it even more effective: leaving your headphones or ear pods at home.
Walking without listening to anything on headphones became a social media trend known as ‘silent walking’ a couple of years ago, but many of us have always done it. iStockphoto
It’s what I’ve been doing for decades and I know how much it enhances a walk because when I tried listening to music or a podcast while walking it took away what I enjoy most about and need from a walk.
Wearing headphones is also dangerous, and I know that from experience. The one time I tried listening to something while walking, I felt like I was constantly turning my head to watch out for cars that I couldn’t hear – it was stressful.
These days I live closer to shared pathways and thinking about wearing headphones there, I’d be scared of not hearing cyclists whizz past me at high-speeds – especially now with so many E-bikes around. That’s not to mention the risks of being attacked when you are unable to hear someone coming – even though this shouldn’t be a factor, it just is.
Listening to something affects your concentration, spatial awareness and means you have one less sense keeping you safe.
Without headphones, I can be more relaxed as I don’t have anything affecting my awareness and alertness. But more than that, I feel present and not separate from the outside environment, listening to something while walking makes me feel like I’m in a bubble.
It’s important to me to soak up the sights and sounds around me as I walk because it makes the walk more enjoyable. It also clears my mind and helps work out any frustrations.
Psychology lecturer Dr Nikki-Anne Wilson from the University of Sydney told nine.com.au walking without listening to something on our headphones can be helpful for our mental health.
“I think that part of the benefits of walking comes from connecting with our environment. We’re more likely to engage in that mindful practice of noticing where we are, hearing the sounds around us and directing our attention outside ourselves when we’re not experiencing simultaneous music or other input,” she said.
When I can hear the birds and the rustling of the trees a walk feels extra special and calming. iStockphoto
“We’re finding more and more that those sorts of practices [such as] mindfulness and awe, are good for our mental health. For example, there’s now emerging research to suggest that connecting to something bigger than ourselves, whether that be through nature and noticing the world around us … or whether that comes from some other sense of community, can be really beneficial for our mental well-being.”
I’d rather hear the waves crash on the beach than listen to something I can hear anywhere else. And I love hearing birds as I walk – yes, I’ve become one of those people. It’s incredibly relaxing and can be quite special when you hear one you don’t often hear at home.
There are also details to enjoy, even walking around the neighbourhood, from the colours of a camellia to the shape of clouds and the different shades of a sunset.
The extra stimulation of music or other audio means you’re distracted from these natural wonders. It’s also another dose of stimulation after a day of staring at screens – the space walking without headphones allows is so important for the brain.
“I think giving ourselves that space to process our thoughts is something of a privilege these days in many ways. When we stop processing external stimuli, then our brains have more chance to mind wander,” Wilson says.
“Mind wandering means that we’re engaging those parts of our brain where we’re processing those internal thoughts and that can be really beneficial for our well-being.”
And that’s when we can get our best ideas.
“Increasing the opportunity for mind wandering and allowing that space for our brain to wander, that can definitely increase creativity and help us problem-solve. I think we’ve all probably experienced that phenomenon of where we are trying to solve a problem, and we just can’t find the solution,” Wilson says.
“But if we walk away and leave it, then we suddenly think of that solution, and we’re able to think of the answers more clearly and then solve the problem.”
Not wearing headphones and listening to anything is helpful for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not helpful for others. It might be that the outside world is too stimulating or your favourite podcast motivates you to get moving and, for some, the beat of the music helps with pace and motivation.
Some people need to listen to something on a walk and that’s OK – it’s about what works for you. iStock
So, give both options a try and see what helps you achieve whatever aims you have when you’re walking.
But if you’ve never walked without listening to something try leaving your headphones at home next time and see if it feels just that little bit better when you can hear the birds and notice all the colours of the sunset.