by Margaret Armstrong
I thought nothing in Argentina could hurt me. It was a hot January in Buenos Aires, and I saw all the essential touristy places and more with my program. I was thriving. Then, I took the first exam for my Argentine short story course.
I had studied. It was open-note, too. I wasn’t that worried about it, but that hour-long, entirely essay question exam threw me. When I was done, I had over an hour until the next class, so I packed up and started walking. That simple walk cleared my head enough and woke me again for the next class. I made it to La Casa Rosada, the president’s house, and looped back to the university.
What is a stress walk?
The stress walk, or what I call a stress walk, is a tradition that I did not realize I took part in until somewhat recently, even though I’ve been doing it for all of college. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but essentially, I walk when I’m stressed and am struggling to de-stress. There isn’t a time, distance, or difficulty requirement. The point is to detach a bit, like I’m meditating.
I have always liked a good walk with my dog or to the CVS on Main Street, but those are walks with a task. Yes, they are ostensibly the same, but I look for something without purpose, something aimless. I have no goal but to walk until I feel calm and ready to face what was stressing me out or whatever I have left to do with my day. I know that is broad, but it is a subjective experience. I would advise not exhausting, unless you want to, yourself because then the walk just turns into a different type of suffering.
Where should I go now?
The University of Delaware has a very walkable campus, with plenty of trails splitting off from each other to get some peace from the busier areas (e.g. the Central Green and Main Street). As a freshman, it felt natural to explore everything I had access to by walking since I didn’t have my car. My friends and I went up and down Main Street countless times, checking out the local stores and restaurants, but from our dorm, we had access to the Pomeroy trail, circling around a good amount of campus.
The Pomeroy Trail is my stress walk path of choice at college because of how easy it is to access and follow. The smoothly paved path, separation from the rush of campus, and easy route to return make it the perfect trail for me to walk to destress. I do not have to think too much about where I’m going or how to get back, and that gets me in the right headspace to think about why I am stressed and what I can do to help myself.
I usually pick familiar trails or places, somewhere where my body can walk on autopilot, so that I can focus on my mind. When I’m off campus, the local parks are my go-to, and I feel connected with them in a special way now. I used to frequent them for playgrounds, swing sets, and soccer games, and now, I can appreciate the quiet life of them as a safe space to ease my mind.
In Buenos Aires, I was at a loss. I loved the liveliness of the city, but I had to find where I could go safely if I wanted to be alone. I grew to know the basics of the streets, yet I could never find the tranquility of the Pomeroy trail. The city quieted at night, but a walk alone at night in an unfamiliar city stressed me out more than any other worries I had. My aforementioned walk to La Casa Rosada, however, revived me. Although Plaza de Mayo was packed with people, I went back to class feeling composed and prepared to move on with my day.
Ultimately, where I go and how long I walk for does not matter much. The paths are simply a means to a better state of mind. It’s really about moving for the sake of not being physically stuck when I am mentally stuck, and I've learned I can find somewhere to walk anywhere, even 5000 miles away from anything familiar to me. In the meantime, my body does the physical work of destressing while I figure out the mental work.
Why does stress walking work?
Walking, like all forms of exercise, has many physical benefits, yet the last thing I want to do when I’m stressed is an intensive workout. Besides, a brisk walk can bring a bunch of the potential benefits of other forms of exercise that might be harder on my body.
Some of the key physical benefits, according to Karen Studor, MD, at Loma Linda University, include:
Lowering cortisol levels
Improving quality of sleep
Improving overall cardiovascular health
Cortisol is the major hormone the body releases when stressed. Decreasing the levels of cortisol through a stress walk will literally help calm my body down on a scientific level. Our bodies are a system of hormones working together to heal us, so when we lower our cortisol levels, the rest of our body working in response to stress can relax, too. On a similar note, better sleep and cardiovascular health link to lower cortisol levels, so on a chemical level, a stress walk allows our bodies to settle down.
When do I need a stress walk?
As I’ve mentioned, a lot of the aspects, especially the motive for one, of the stress walk are subjective. Sometimes I don’t have a clear reason to take one, but I just know that a walk would help me unwind. I am a person. My emotions are not always clear, so I head out to find some clarity.
Beyond that, I am a college student. A tough exam, project, or class often necessitates a stress walk. In these instances too, a stress walk forces me to detach from staring endlessly at my laptop. Walks are a complete change in environment and focus. Disconnecting from the root of the stress, when I am aware of it, is essential to settle myself, and the peace of these walks refreshes me and brings me new ideas for class and assignments. Disconnecting myself completely is not always necessary because listening to music can certainly help calm me.
Stress walks don’t have to be solo either. Going out with a friend and talking through each other’s stress is healing in its own way. Fresh perspectives on school or personal stress only add to the physical and mental benefits of taking a stress walk. My roommate and I have gone on many walks to chat about our stress, and maybe we don’t find exact solutions, but my friend and I are still there for each other. The support of another person is always welcome on a stress walk.
How to stress walk?
There is no definite way. The two essential pillars of the art of stress walking are to move and to think. I find a long walk listening to music on my own to be a great way to sort through mental stress. Regardless of where I go or who I am with, a stress walk always lifts the weight of stress off me for a bit, and when that stress settles in again, I have a clearer idea of how to handle it. Stress is an individual struggle, so we all need our individual way of walking it off.
I love that you included scientific facts about stress walks! I'm so happy that "hot girl walks" have become popular recently. It's a great way to get away from what might be stressing you out, while also getting to be in the sun and fresh air.
I do this too. Interestingly I also walk on the Pomeroy Trail. It is near where I currently live on campus. Moving our bodies real does clear the mind. I also really appreciate that our campus is so walkable, like most college campuses are. At home, I also find it difficult to find a nice constant place to go for a walk. Since walking stress off is so benefical though, I try my best to do it where I can.
Awesome work, Margaret! I really love how you give us real tips and locations on campus for us to explore and use to help our stress levels. It's actually pretty cool to see just how much a little walk can help with your mental and physical health.
Personally, I've also realized that what you're doing while walking really matters. I tend to be more cheery with a pep in my step when listening to music and walking, but without it, I notice little things and find more to smile about. Your blog post really helped me remember to be grateful for the fact that we've got so much to look forward to around us - so thank you! Great job.…
Very well said. Everyone has a way to relieve themselves from stress. It’s good to get out and take a break from life for a while. I like how you don’t point to just one thing when you need to take a stress walk. It can just be the exhausting feeling of everyday life.