Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It Works10 BenefitsAdding It to Your Routine
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
10 Benefits
Adding It to Your Routine
Meditation is a practice centered on calming the mind and enhancing awareness to foster mental clarity and promote emotional well-being. There are many meditation techniques, with each offering a unique approach and benefits, such as stress reduction, improved focus, emotional regulation, and pain management.
One form of meditation is walking meditation, which integrates mindful awareness into walking.
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How Does Walking Meditation Work?
Walking meditation is a simple mindfulness practice that involves bringing your full attention to walking. It’s not about speed or distance but about being present in the moment without judgment. You observe the physical sensations in your body as youwalk, such as lifting and setting down your feet, the movement of the muscles in your legs, and the rhythm of your breath. It also encourages awareness of the surrounding environment, including sights, sounds, and smells.
Indoorand outdoor walking meditation offers a unique opportunity to connect with your body, ground yourself in the present moment, and cultivate a deeper sense of awareness and inner calm.
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10 Potential Walking Meditation Benefits
Boosts Blood Flow
Walking is a low-impact physical activity that increases your heart rate, helpingimprove circulationto deliver oxygen-rich blood to the body’s tissues and organs. Research shows that regular mindfulness meditation and walking are heart-healthy activities; both reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease.
This research suggests combining mindful awareness with physical activity can boost blood flow and protect heart health.
Improves Digestion
Gentle, rhythmic movements involved in walking meditation can helpimprove digestive health. Walking helps stimulate the muscles that control the stomach and intestines, helping move food through the digestive tract and promoting bowel movement regularity.Research shows walking after a meal can also reduce common gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as bloating and constipation.
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Improves Blood Sugar
Reduces Anxiety
Walking meditation can be an excellent way toreduce anxiety, particularly for those who struggle to sit still for more traditional meditation practices. Directing your attention to the sensory experiences of walking, such as the sound of your feet touching the ground and focusing on your breathing, can have a calming and centering effect, easing anxiety.
A 201 study exploring the impact of walking meditation in young adults with anxiety found that a daily 10-minute walking meditation can effectively reduce stress and improve overall mood.
Alleviates Depression
Walking meditation can be a powerful tool inmanaging depression. Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins—“feel good” hormones that act as natural mood lifters.Walking meditation outdoors may have added perks. Research shows that as little as 10 to 20 minutes of walking in nature improves mood and reduces stress.
In a study involving adults with major depressive disorder (MDD), participants were assigned to either a nature walk or a walk in an urban setting. Study participants who walked in nature reported lower levels of negative mood than those who walked in urban settings.
Improves Sleep
The physical activity involved in walking can help regulate circadian rhythms (the body’s 24-hour clock that regulates sleep and wake times), making it easier to fall asleep and maintain deep, restorative sleep throughout the night.
Makes Exercise More Enjoyable
Walking meditation can transformexercisefrom a necessary task into a more enjoyable experience. Focusing on the present moment can shift focus from external outcomes, like calorie burning or distance covered, to the internal experience of movement, fostering a sense of connection between the body and the environment. This shift in perspective can make exercise a more positive and rewarding experience.
Stimulates Creativity
Encourages Better Balance
One study involving older adults found that mindful walking can improve balance and gait as effectively as balance training programs, reducing the risk of falls.
Improves Overall Well-Being
The physical activity involved in walking promotes cardiovascular health, improves circulation, and balances blood sugar levels. Mindfulness helps reduce stress, improve emotional resilience, and foster a more profound appreciation for life’s simple pleasures, improving the overall quality of life.
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How to Make Mindful Walking Part of Your Routine
Remain in the Present Moment
Mindful walking involves focusing on the present moment, including your surroundings and physical sensations. Avoid distractions like phones and engage with your senses, like the feeling of the ground beneath your feet, the sounds in your environment, and the rhythm of your breath. When your attention moves away from the present, gently redirect your thoughts to your body and surrounding environment without judgment.
Try Seated Meditation
Complementing your mindful walking practice with seated meditation can enhance your mindfulness skills. Seated meditation helps cultivate a calm and focused mind and can improve your ability to stay present and focused during walking meditation.
Slow Your Pace
Mindful walking can occur at any pace, but slowing your pace may help you fully engage in the practice and pay closer attention to each step and the sensations associated with walking. Slowing down can also help reduce stress and create a more meditative experience, making it easier to focus on the present moment.
Reflect on Your Progress
To maintain consistency in your mindful walking practice, consider incorporating accountability measures and setting specific goals to reflect on your progress. For example, you could set a goal to walk for a certain number of minutes each day, share your intentions with a friend, journal your experiences, or join a walking meditation group for support and motivation.
What Is the Best Type of Meditation for You?
Summary
Walking meditation combines physical activity with mindfulness, offering mental, emotional, and physical health benefits. It can help boost blood flow, improve digestion, reduce anxiety, regulate blood sugar levels, relieve depression, and enhance sleep quality.
18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.Ma J, Williams JM, Morris PG, Chan SWY.Effectiveness of a mindful nature walking intervention on sleep quality and mood in university students during Covid-19: a randomised control study.Explore (NY). 2023;19(3):405-416. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2022.08.004Lee LL, Mulvaney CA, Wong YKY, Chan ES, Watson MC, Lin HH.Walking for hypertension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;2(2):CD008823. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008823.pub2Omura JD, Ussery EN, Loustalot F, et al.Walking as an opportunity for cardiovascular disease prevention.Prev Chronic Dis. 2019;16:E66. doi:10.5888/pcd16.180690Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089Hosseini-Asl MK, Taherifard E, Mousavi MR.The effect of a short-term physical activity after meals on gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal bloating: a randomized clinical trial.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2021;14(1):59-66. PMID:33868611 PMCID:PMC8035544Gainey A, Himathongkam T, Tanaka H, et al.Effects of Buddhist walking meditation on glycemic control and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes.Complement Ther Med. 2016;26:92-97. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.03.009Edwards MK, Rosenbaum S, Loprinzi PD.Differential experimental effects of a short bout of walking, meditation, or combination of walking and meditation on state anxiety among young adults.Am J Health Promot. 2018;32(4):949-958. doi:10.1177/0890117117744913Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of physical activity on mental health and well-being: a review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475Meredith GR, Rakow DA, Eldermire ERB, et al.Minimum time dose in nature to positively impact the mental health of college-aged students, and how to measure it: a scoping review.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2942. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942Watkins-Martin K, Bolanis D, Richard-Devantoy S, et al.The effects of walking in nature on negative and positive affect in adult psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorder: a randomized-controlled study.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:291-298. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.121Sullivan Bisson AN, Robinson SA, Lachman ME.Walk to a better night of sleep: testing the relationship between physical activity and sleep.Sleep Health. 2019;5(5):487-494. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2019.06.003Cox AE, Roberts MA, Cates HL, et al.Mindfulness and affective responses to treadmill walking in individuals with low intrinsic motivation to exercise.Int J Exerc Sci. 2018;11(5):609-624. POppezzo M, Schwartz DL.Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2014;40(4):1142-1152. doi:10.1037/a0036577Henriksen D, Richardson C, Shack K.Mindfulness and creativity: Implications for thinking and learning.Think Skills Creat. 2020;37:100689. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100689Phoobangkerdphol C, Limampai P, Dasri S, et al.Walking meditation versus balance training for improving balance abilities among older adults with history of fall: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rehabil. 2022;36(4):538-549. doi:10.1177/02692155211068232Marquez DX, Aguiñaga S, Vásquez PM, et al.A systematic review of physical activity and quality of life and well-being.Transl Behav Med. 2020;10(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/tbm/ibz198Basso JC, McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behav Brain Res. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.Ma J, Williams JM, Morris PG, Chan SWY.Effectiveness of a mindful nature walking intervention on sleep quality and mood in university students during Covid-19: a randomised control study.Explore (NY). 2023;19(3):405-416. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2022.08.004Lee LL, Mulvaney CA, Wong YKY, Chan ES, Watson MC, Lin HH.Walking for hypertension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;2(2):CD008823. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008823.pub2Omura JD, Ussery EN, Loustalot F, et al.Walking as an opportunity for cardiovascular disease prevention.Prev Chronic Dis. 2019;16:E66. doi:10.5888/pcd16.180690Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089Hosseini-Asl MK, Taherifard E, Mousavi MR.The effect of a short-term physical activity after meals on gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal bloating: a randomized clinical trial.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2021;14(1):59-66. PMID:33868611 PMCID:PMC8035544Gainey A, Himathongkam T, Tanaka H, et al.Effects of Buddhist walking meditation on glycemic control and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes.Complement Ther Med. 2016;26:92-97. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.03.009Edwards MK, Rosenbaum S, Loprinzi PD.Differential experimental effects of a short bout of walking, meditation, or combination of walking and meditation on state anxiety among young adults.Am J Health Promot. 2018;32(4):949-958. doi:10.1177/0890117117744913Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of physical activity on mental health and well-being: a review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475Meredith GR, Rakow DA, Eldermire ERB, et al.Minimum time dose in nature to positively impact the mental health of college-aged students, and how to measure it: a scoping review.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2942. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942Watkins-Martin K, Bolanis D, Richard-Devantoy S, et al.The effects of walking in nature on negative and positive affect in adult psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorder: a randomized-controlled study.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:291-298. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.121Sullivan Bisson AN, Robinson SA, Lachman ME.Walk to a better night of sleep: testing the relationship between physical activity and sleep.Sleep Health. 2019;5(5):487-494. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2019.06.003Cox AE, Roberts MA, Cates HL, et al.Mindfulness and affective responses to treadmill walking in individuals with low intrinsic motivation to exercise.Int J Exerc Sci. 2018;11(5):609-624. POppezzo M, Schwartz DL.Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2014;40(4):1142-1152. doi:10.1037/a0036577Henriksen D, Richardson C, Shack K.Mindfulness and creativity: Implications for thinking and learning.Think Skills Creat. 2020;37:100689. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100689Phoobangkerdphol C, Limampai P, Dasri S, et al.Walking meditation versus balance training for improving balance abilities among older adults with history of fall: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rehabil. 2022;36(4):538-549. doi:10.1177/02692155211068232Marquez DX, Aguiñaga S, Vásquez PM, et al.A systematic review of physical activity and quality of life and well-being.Transl Behav Med. 2020;10(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/tbm/ibz198Basso JC, McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behav Brain Res. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.Ma J, Williams JM, Morris PG, Chan SWY.Effectiveness of a mindful nature walking intervention on sleep quality and mood in university students during Covid-19: a randomised control study.Explore (NY). 2023;19(3):405-416. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2022.08.004Lee LL, Mulvaney CA, Wong YKY, Chan ES, Watson MC, Lin HH.Walking for hypertension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;2(2):CD008823. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008823.pub2Omura JD, Ussery EN, Loustalot F, et al.Walking as an opportunity for cardiovascular disease prevention.Prev Chronic Dis. 2019;16:E66. doi:10.5888/pcd16.180690Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089Hosseini-Asl MK, Taherifard E, Mousavi MR.The effect of a short-term physical activity after meals on gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal bloating: a randomized clinical trial.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2021;14(1):59-66. PMID:33868611 PMCID:PMC8035544Gainey A, Himathongkam T, Tanaka H, et al.Effects of Buddhist walking meditation on glycemic control and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes.Complement Ther Med. 2016;26:92-97. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.03.009Edwards MK, Rosenbaum S, Loprinzi PD.Differential experimental effects of a short bout of walking, meditation, or combination of walking and meditation on state anxiety among young adults.Am J Health Promot. 2018;32(4):949-958. doi:10.1177/0890117117744913Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of physical activity on mental health and well-being: a review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475Meredith GR, Rakow DA, Eldermire ERB, et al.Minimum time dose in nature to positively impact the mental health of college-aged students, and how to measure it: a scoping review.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2942. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942Watkins-Martin K, Bolanis D, Richard-Devantoy S, et al.The effects of walking in nature on negative and positive affect in adult psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorder: a randomized-controlled study.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:291-298. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.121Sullivan Bisson AN, Robinson SA, Lachman ME.Walk to a better night of sleep: testing the relationship between physical activity and sleep.Sleep Health. 2019;5(5):487-494. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2019.06.003Cox AE, Roberts MA, Cates HL, et al.Mindfulness and affective responses to treadmill walking in individuals with low intrinsic motivation to exercise.Int J Exerc Sci. 2018;11(5):609-624. POppezzo M, Schwartz DL.Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2014;40(4):1142-1152. doi:10.1037/a0036577Henriksen D, Richardson C, Shack K.Mindfulness and creativity: Implications for thinking and learning.Think Skills Creat. 2020;37:100689. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100689Phoobangkerdphol C, Limampai P, Dasri S, et al.Walking meditation versus balance training for improving balance abilities among older adults with history of fall: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rehabil. 2022;36(4):538-549. doi:10.1177/02692155211068232Marquez DX, Aguiñaga S, Vásquez PM, et al.A systematic review of physical activity and quality of life and well-being.Transl Behav Med. 2020;10(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/tbm/ibz198Basso JC, McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behav Brain Res. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.
Ma J, Williams JM, Morris PG, Chan SWY.Effectiveness of a mindful nature walking intervention on sleep quality and mood in university students during Covid-19: a randomised control study.Explore (NY). 2023;19(3):405-416. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2022.08.004
Lee LL, Mulvaney CA, Wong YKY, Chan ES, Watson MC, Lin HH.Walking for hypertension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;2(2):CD008823. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008823.pub2
Omura JD, Ussery EN, Loustalot F, et al.Walking as an opportunity for cardiovascular disease prevention.Prev Chronic Dis. 2019;16:E66. doi:10.5888/pcd16.180690
Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089
Gainey A, Himathongkam T, Tanaka H, et al.Effects of Buddhist walking meditation on glycemic control and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes.Complement Ther Med. 2016;26:92-97. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.03.009
Edwards MK, Rosenbaum S, Loprinzi PD.Differential experimental effects of a short bout of walking, meditation, or combination of walking and meditation on state anxiety among young adults.Am J Health Promot. 2018;32(4):949-958. doi:10.1177/0890117117744913
Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of physical activity on mental health and well-being: a review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475
Meredith GR, Rakow DA, Eldermire ERB, et al.Minimum time dose in nature to positively impact the mental health of college-aged students, and how to measure it: a scoping review.Front Psychol. 2020;10:2942. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942
Watkins-Martin K, Bolanis D, Richard-Devantoy S, et al.The effects of walking in nature on negative and positive affect in adult psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorder: a randomized-controlled study.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:291-298. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.121
Sullivan Bisson AN, Robinson SA, Lachman ME.Walk to a better night of sleep: testing the relationship between physical activity and sleep.Sleep Health. 2019;5(5):487-494. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2019.06.003
Cox AE, Roberts MA, Cates HL, et al.Mindfulness and affective responses to treadmill walking in individuals with low intrinsic motivation to exercise.Int J Exerc Sci. 2018;11(5):609-624. P
Oppezzo M, Schwartz DL.Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2014;40(4):1142-1152. doi:10.1037/a0036577
Henriksen D, Richardson C, Shack K.Mindfulness and creativity: Implications for thinking and learning.Think Skills Creat. 2020;37:100689. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100689
Phoobangkerdphol C, Limampai P, Dasri S, et al.Walking meditation versus balance training for improving balance abilities among older adults with history of fall: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rehabil. 2022;36(4):538-549. doi:10.1177/02692155211068232
Marquez DX, Aguiñaga S, Vásquez PM, et al.A systematic review of physical activity and quality of life and well-being.Transl Behav Med. 2020;10(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/tbm/ibz198
Basso JC, McHale A, Ende V, et al.Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.Behav Brain Res. 2019;356:208-220. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023
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