Protect your memory and cognitive skills by getting your 10k steps at home
Don't let bad weather stop the mental and physical benefits of walking
1. The winter struggle is real
I always wanted to be weather-proof.
I’d get jealous of friends who went out in any weather without a care in the world.
As soon as the clocks go back in autumn and the days get shorter, I end up wanting to hibernate.
Being an active person in general, it's unnerving when the season has such an impact on energy levels.
So as winter deepens here in the UK, I'm determined to find ways to exercise with minimal friction.
I use the concept of friction with my coaching clients. It works well when people are trying to build or stop a habit.
That's because habits are automatic behaviours that are triggered by cues and environmental context.
Friction gets in the way of the behaviour or action you complete as part of the habit.
When you're trying to build a new habit, it's good to focus on friction getting in the way.
Examples include getting your gym kit ready the night before you want to exercise, or batch cooking healthy food so you're less likely to choose an alternative option when you're tired or rushing.
You can also add friction to reduce an unhelpful habit.
If you want to reduce temptation for snacking between meals, make it hard to find the snacks.
Keep them out of sight to change the environmental cue or only reward yourself once you've completed a run.
It goes both ways.
2. Even lighter exercise protects your brain during ageing
Although I love strength training, yoga and HIIT type exercise, lower intensity exercise has other benefits.
Walking in nature helps reduce stress and is a great option if you live near hiking spots.
When the weather takes a downturn however, this adds friction to an enjoyable activity.
Clothing options need to be reconsidered. Daylight changes limit routes and access.
If you've had a tough day or week, even small new friction elements can tip you into inertia.
It was during a random phone conversation with a friend that I realised I shouldn't let bad weather or winter get in the way of walking as a way to destress and move my body.
Although the arbitrary number of 10,000 steps a day has more to do with a Japanese marketing company, it's still a useful target to aim for.
The research suggests between 5,000 to 10,000 steps per day at a moderate pace has positive health outcomes on cardiac fitness, mobility and blood sugar control.
There are also mental and cognitive benefits of exercise.
A study by researchers at the University Of Zurich1 followed a group of older adults over a period of 12 years, and assessed the impact of physical and social activity on parts of the brain.
They focused on the entorhinal cortex, a part of the brain connected to learning and memory, and how these activities impact the thickness of this brain region.
Thinner entorhinal cortex measures are observed in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, and could relate to poor memory function.
The study found a correlation between adults that undertake more physical and social activity and slower reduction in the thickness of the entorhinal cortex. They had better verbal and figural performance in selected tests.
Another study explored the impact of groove rhythm combined with aerobic exercise and how this enhances cognitive function and enjoyment.2
An article in Neuroscience News summarised the study results and highlighted other key brain areas linked to complex mental processes:
Aerobic exercise, even at low-intensity levels, stimulates the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of the brain, thereby improving executive functions such as attention, concentration, and judgment.
With exercise benefits being a no brainer, it came back to building opportunities and reducing friction.
I decided to use my home as a walking route.
3. Use what you have at your disposal
I wish I could share exciting stories about creating a home obstacle course and weaving in and out of interesting objects.
Reality was less glamorous.
I just started wandering around the house whilst talking to my friend on the phone.
We tend to do this to keep each other company during chores.
It's the equivalent of listening to an interactive podcast. But if you don't want to chat to someone, put on a podcast, audio book or movie and just walk.
It was strange at first but it became meditative.
I started noticing things in each room I hadn't seen the same way before.
The cats got curious and started following me too.
After 15 minutes I already felt more energised and awake than I had been sitting on the sofa.
Then I passed 10,000 steps and we laughed about how weird the whole thing was. I had just stayed at home, talked to my friend but been active.
It felt great.
My last friction hurdle had dropped.
And I've done it again since and each time I feel better for it. Now I am moving a bit of furniture and doing different loops.
I even jogged today.
It's become fun and silly, which is a great way to turn what could be a chore into a habit.
If you've want to be more active and mobile, I invite you to look around you to see what you can do right where you are.
Don't make it complicated.
Moving of any kind is beneficial to your body and mind.
Remove friction and just get up and walk.
Let me know what you're keen to learn or talk about in the comments or on chat.
Take care,
Sabrina Ahmed
Burnout Coach | Neuroscientist | Art-based Practitioner
Very good advise Sabrina. I will try to copy it myself and advice my husband to do the same. There will be some friction, but I guess it is part of the game.