Go outside and take a walk – find out how your mental health improves

Did you know that as much as 1 in every 4 students experience depressive symptoms at some point? One of the most powerful ways to improve your mental health is through exercise. In this regard, walking is one of the most accessible forms of exercise. It costs you absolutely nothing, you don't need any special equipment and you can do it whenever it suits you.

Put your laptop and phone away for a while, grab your fellow student by the arm and go outside! Whether you go together or alone, 20 minutes of walking will do wonders for your mood.

In fact, there are severalExternal link studiesExternal link that have investigated the impact of walking on your mental well-being, and almost all of them indicate that walking has a positive impact - no matter how long you walk. Even a short walk can improve your mood and energy.

Yet we often hear from students that they do not have enough time to walk or that it is not attractive enough. We, students from the Psychobiology in Practice course (‘Psychobiologie in de Praktijk’), launched a pilot of the ‘Walk Wednesday’ campaign in March for this very reason. We joined other students in taking walks around Science Park, adding a social element as well. And what turned out? Participants were enthusiastic and reported that the social aspect of the walk made the experience much more enjoyable.

So go on that walk and feel the difference!