What are the benefits of walking after dinner?

After dinner, it's tempting to sit back, watch TV, and relax. But many people find that taking a walk after dinner is one of the simplest ways to improve your health, help control blood sugar, and aid digestion.

Walking after dinner is one of the simplest ways to improve your health - Photo: Getty

According to Delish, taking a walk after dinner is not only refreshing, but it can also give your metabolism a boost. Get your walking shoes on and spend some time outdoors.

Health Benefits of Walking After Dinner

Anyone can benefit from a post-dinner walk, but the habit is especially important for people with insulin sensitivity concerns, including those with prediabetes, diabetes, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), says Richa Mittal, MD, founder of Radiant Health Dallas in Texas.

“Walking improves insulin sensitivity,” explains Mittal, a physician specializing in internal medicine, obesity, and lifestyle. Short walks after breakfast and lunch can also help lower blood sugar and increase activity throughout the day.

By keeping your blood sugar balanced, you not only avoid energy crashes, but you also reduce carbohydrate cravings. In other words, taking a walk after a meal is not only exercise, but also a smart strategy for maintaining energy, alertness, and appetite control.

Taking a walk after dinner can also help boost your metabolism, explains Bernadette Anderson, MD, a family medicine physician in Columbus, Ohio. This helps you burn calories and prevent fat storage, while also reducing ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates appetite, making it easier to resist late-night cravings.

Light exercise after dinner also helps reduce stress hormones, allowing the body to relax. "A short walk can facilitate better sleep, helping you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night," says Anderson.

But she recommends leaving at least an hour and a half between your walk and bedtime so it doesn't make it difficult to fall asleep.

In addition to balancing blood sugar, walking after dinner also helps improve circulation, increase blood flow, and help the body deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells more effectively.

Over time, regular walking can help lower blood pressure by strengthening your heart and keeping your arteries healthy. This reduces your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. So, in addition to helping you manage your blood sugar, walking can also help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

How long after dinner should I walk?

Walking right after eating works best, Alsibai says, pointing to a 2023 study in the journal Sports Medicine . In fact, a short walk within minutes of finishing a meal helps the body start managing blood sugar immediately, according to the researchers.

“Just a five-minute walk makes a difference, and walking longer than 30 minutes will increase the benefits,” says Alsibai. “The best time to walk is within an hour of eating—the sooner the better—because the benefits are more pronounced the sooner you walk.”

As for post-meal exercise, walking is actually the best way, says Mittal, since running can be irritating to the digestive system.

Is it good to "take a walk to relax"?

“A walk to clear your head” is a fun term for taking a light stroll after a meal to stimulate digestion and relieve gas, helping your digestive system work more efficiently. Walking helps aid digestion by increasing blood flow to the stomach and intestines, helping your body break down food more efficiently, Anderson explains.

This reduces the likelihood of bloating, gas, or indigestion, by preventing stomach acid from flowing back up into the esophagus. You may consider taking a walk after dinner as a natural way to reduce the discomfort of acid reflux.

“Keep a slow, relaxed pace, and enjoy the fresh night air,” says Anderson.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/di-bo-sau-bua-an-toi-co-hieu-qua-gi-20241104141037622.htm