A Small Shift in Walking Speed Might Deliver Major Health Benefits
New research indicates that simply adjusting how fast you walk could significantly benefit your heart health.
Many of us know someone who always walks at a rapid pace, making it tough to keep up. While it might be tempting to ask them to slow down, science now suggests they may actually be reaping heart-related rewards.
A study recently featured in the journal Heart found a strong link between walking faster and a reduced likelihood of developing certain heart rhythm issues, such as atrial fibrillation, bradyarrhythmias, and ventricular arrhythmias.
Atrial fibrillation refers to an irregular heartbeat that starts in the heart’s upper chambers and can cause symptoms like tiredness, heart fluttering, shortness of breath, and light-headedness. Bradyarrhythmias occur when the heart rate drops below 60 beats per minute, while ventricular arrhythmias, which arise in the lower chambers, can cause the heart to beat dangerously fast.
Researchers discovered that walking at a brisk pace corresponded with a lower incidence of these irregular heart rhythms.
Dr. Jill Pell, the study’s senior researcher from the University of Glasgow, emphasized the accessibility of this health strategy. Speaking with CNN, she said, “Walking is a simple and inclusive way to improve heart health. There’s no need for a gym membership or expensive gear—you just step outside and start moving.”
She added that while medications and procedures are available to manage heart rhythm problems, it’s far better to prevent them from developing in the first place.
To reach these findings, scientists analyzed data from the UK Biobank study, which began in the early 2000s. Participants were surveyed about their usual walking speed, choosing from slow, average, or brisk.
Roughly 6.5% of respondents described their pace as slow, 53% said average, and 41% reported walking briskly.
The results showed a 35% lower risk of heart rhythm issues for those walking at an average pace and a 43% reduction for brisk walkers.
Dr. Pell explained, “We had self-reported pace data from over 420,000 people, along with wearable device data from nearly 82,000 participants. The accelerometers confirmed that walking at a moderate speed—around 3 to 4 miles per hour—for as little as 5 to 15 minutes daily was enough to make a difference.”
The benefits appeared more prominent in people under 60, particularly women. Pell noted, “This is notable because although women are generally less prone to atrial fibrillation than men, when they do develop it, their chances of experiencing heart attacks or strokes are higher compared to men with the same condition.”
However, Pell acknowledged a limitation in the findings: those with existing health issues may naturally walk more slowly. “We attempted to control for this by excluding anyone with known heart or vascular disease at the start of the study,” she explained.
She also highlighted the need for further research, ideally an interventional study that tests whether encouraging slow walkers to increase their pace could confirm these results.