Walking seems simple — but the impact it has on your mind, body, and longevity is anything but. Why Walking Matters: The Science Explained explores evidence-based articles, expert insights, and wellness research to uncover why this everyday movement is one of the most powerful tools for better health. Whether you're on a stroll or just curious, this podcast brings you the facts, one step at a time from published articles set out to explore the science of walking.
The days are getting shorter, summer is winding down, routines are changing, and many of us feel an unexpected urge to start fresh. But why does September feel like a new beginning—even for those of us who haven't been in school for years?
In this episode, we explore the science behind the September reset and why this time of year may be one of the best opportunities to start, restart, or refresh your walking routine.
You'll learn how seasonal changes affect our bodies, including our sleep, energy levels, mood, and motivation. We'll also look at the psychology of fresh starts, why researchers believe certain times of year inspire us to pursue new goals, and how walking can help us navigate the transition from summer to fall.
Whether you've been walking consistently, taken a break over the summer, or are looking for the motivation to take your very first walk, this episode will help you embrace the season and take the next step.
In this episode:
Why September feels like a fresh start
The science of the "Fresh Start Effect"
How changing daylight affects mood, sleep, and energy
Why fall may be the ideal season for walking
Simple ways to reset your walking routine this month
A September Walking Reset Challenge you can start today
As the seasons change, maybe your walking journey can change too.
Lace up your shoes, step outside, and join me for a science-backed look at why September might be the perfect time to begin again.
Email us at: Kaydoscope@gmail.com to share topics you'd like to learn about.
SPEAKER_00
Hi, welcome to Why Walking Matters The Science Explained. I'm Tatiana, your host. I hope you enjoyed my story last week about my hiking trip on Old Jail Lane in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. And I hope you weren't too distracted by the birds chirping in the background and the wind purring in the leaves as I recorded the last episode. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold as I recorded at the lake behind the house where we stayed in Booth Spay, Maine. Thank you to our friends, the hosts. And if you still haven't checked out the previous week's episode, please, it's a good one. Nutrition Advice for Walkers from a registered dietitian, Carolyn Seller, and she talks about walking from first steps through to menopause, and menopause is her specialty. So that was a great conversation. Be sure to check it out. And finally, before we get to this beast episode, remember that Dr. Sandra Hamilton's menopause retreat, the fire years, a four-day immersive menopause retreat for the woman who has spent decades tending to everyone else, can spend four days at the edge of the Caribbean Sea to burn away who you had to be and meet who you are now. It takes place at Frenchman's Cove, Jamaica in Portland, Jamaica, four days, three nights from October 30th to November 2nd. Secure your place. You can go online to drhekonfidence builder dot com. It's September. Welcome September, my favorite month of the year. Have you noticed that September feels different? Even if you don't have children in school anymore or you aren't in school anymore, something about September makes us want to buy a new notebook or clean out a closet, start a new routine or get back on track. Could September be a better time to restart your walking habit than January? I wasn't sure what to expect, but I decided to check out what if there was science behind this question. Researchers Heng Sheng Dai and colleagues found that temporal landmarks create a mental separation between our past selves and our future selves, increasing motivation for self-improvement. Gym attendance, goal setting, and health-related behaviors often increase around these landmarks. It's called the fresh start effect, a psychological phenomenon where people feel more motivated to change their habits and pursue personal goals after reaching a significant date or time marker. According to the psychpractice.com, our brains love a reset because a fresh start makes us feel like the authors of our own stories rather than passive observers. It restores a sense of control over our habits and environment. It can also be seen as a cognitive cache clearing for our brains, just as restarting a computer clears temporary files that slow it down, a temporal landmark allows us to stop ruminating on past mistakes, freeing up mental energy for future-oriented tasks. And our brains see optimism as a catalyst. The psychological distance from our past flaws creates a boost in optimism. This positive outlook is a powerful fuel for the initial stages of habit formation. September feels like a new chapter because for most of our lives it was. Every year, September meant a new grade, new teachers, new schedules, and new opportunities. So what would happen if you treated this month like the beginning of your walking year instead of waiting for New Year's? Another reason I love September. September isn't just changing our calendars, it's changing our environment. The days are getting shorter, the angle of the sunlight is different. Temperatures begin to cool, our routines shift, kids go back to school, we said, vacations, and even the foods we see in stores start to change. In other words, while our minds are telling us this is a new season, our bodies are receiving that message too. So what actually happens inside us when summer gives way to fall? And why might walking be one of the best ways to help our bodies adapt to those changes? Let's take a look at the science behind the seasonal shift. And the science is actually pretty interesting. As days become shorter, our bodies begin adjusting to changing light exposure. Researchers believe seasonal changes can affect our circadian rhythms, melatonin production, serotonin regulation, energy levels, and sleep patterns. Let's talk a little bit about each of those. What are circadian rhythms? According to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, circadian rhythms include some of the physical, mental, and behavioral changes an organism experiences over a twenty four hour cycle. Light and dark have the biggest influence on circadian rhythms, but food intake, stress, physical activity, social environment, and temperature also affect them. Most living things have circadian rhythms, including animals, plants, and microorganisms. In humans, nearly every tissue and organ has its own circadian rhythm, and collectively, they are tuned to the daily cycle of day and night. Circadian rhythms influence important functions in the human body, such as sleep patterns, hormone release, appetite and digestion, and temperature. So what do scientists know about how circadian rhythms are controlled? The system that regulates an organism's innate sense of time and controls circadian rhythms is called a biological clock. It's composed of proteins encoded by thousands of genes that switch on and off in a specific order. A master clock coordinates all the biological clocks in an organism. In vertebrate animals, including humans, the master clock exists in the brain. The human master clock is a large group of nerve cells that form a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Among other functions, the SCN controls production of the hormone melatonin based on the amount of light the eyes receive. In the evening, a person's master clock tells their brain to make more melatonin, causing sleepiness. The SCN also synchronizes the circadian rhythms in different organs and tissues across the body. Drowsiness, poor coordination, and difficulty with learning and focus may occur when circadian rhythms fall out of sync short term. Long-term sleep loss and continually shifting circadian rhythms can increase the risks of obesity, diabetes, mood disorders, heart and blood pressure problems, and cancer, and can also worsen existing health issues.com, melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland, which is located in the middle of your brain. Melatonin encourages good, healthy sleep. Your melatonin levels naturally go up at night a few hours before bedtime. A simple way to think about melatonin is that it acts as the body's biological nighttime signal. It doesn't force sleep, says David N. Nobar MD, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Instead, it tells the brain and body that nighttime has arrived, helping prepare us for sleep and helping keep our internal clock synchronized. And from my dot Cleveland Clinic dot org Serotonin, also known as five hydroxytryptamine, is a monoamine neurotransmitter. It also acts as a hormone. As a neurotransmitter, serotonin carries messages between nerve cells in your brain, your central nervous system, and throughout your body, your peripheral nervous system. These chemical messages tell your body how to work. Serotonin plays several roles in your body, including influencing learning, memory, happiness, as well as regulating body temperature, sleep, sexual behavior, and hunger. Lack of enough serotonin is thought to play a role in depression, anxiety, mania, and other health conditions. Most of the serotonin found in your body is in your gut intestines. About ninety percent of serotonin is found in the cells lining your gastrointestinal tract. It's released into your blood circulation and absorbed by platelets. Only about 10% is produced in your brain. Serotonin is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan. An essential amino acid means it can't be made by your body. It has to be obtained from the foods you eat. Some people experience sad or seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression related to changes in the seasons. Some people experience a slight drop in energy, more tiredness, a desire to stay indoors, and or changes in mood. And I don't want to gloss over this. Before we go any further, it's important to make a distinction. Some people experience a little less energy, a dip in motivation, or a touch of the winter blues as the days get shorter. But seasonal affective disorder or sad is more than simply feeling a little down because summer is over. SAD is a medical condition, and it's important to speak with a physician or mental health professional if you think you are experiencing symptoms of SAD. That said, walking can be a valuable part of supporting mental health. Research and clinical guidance suggest that regular physical activity can help improve mood, reduce stress, and support the brain chemicals involved in regulating emotions. Outdoor walking may offer an additional benefit because it combines movement with exposure to natural daylight, which can help support your body's internal clock during the darker months. In fact, one of the self-care strategies commonly recommended for people experiencing seasonal mood changes is simply getting outside during daylight hours, even on cloudy days. A lunchtime walk, a morning walk around the block, or an afternoon stroll through a local park can provide both movement and delight exposure. From Mayoclinic.org, in addition to your treatment plan from your physician or mental health professional for SAD, make your environment sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, trim tree branches that block sunlight or add skylights to your home. That seems drastic, but okay. Sit closer to bright windows while at home or in the office. Get outside, take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help, especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning. Exercise regularly. Exercise and other types of physical activity help relieve stress and anxiety. Being more fit can make you feel better about yourself too, which can lift your mood. And schedule times to wake up and go to bed each day. So walking outdoors helps expose us to natural light, which may support healthy circadian rhythms and mood regulation. The benefits of walking never end, listeners. I'm always amazed to find something else that walking helps to support. And in case I haven't mentioned mentioned it, I love fall and I love September. And one of the things I love about fall is that it sneaks more walking into our lives without us even realizing it. Or it can anyway. Think about some of our favorite fall traditions. Apple picking isn't just about bringing home a bag of honey crisps. It's wandering through rows of trees looking for the perfect apple. Walkie. Pumpkin patches aren't just about finding a pumpkin. They're about walking, exploring farm stands, and sometimes getting lost in a corn maze. Even a simple visit to a fall festival can mean thousands of extra steps or hundreds as you browse vendors, listen to music, and explore the festival grounds. Fall is full of activities that make movement feel like part of the experience rather than exercise. We walk to admire the changing leaves. We stroll through neighborhoods to see Halloween decorations. We spend an afternoon at a harvest festival. Before we know it, we've been active for an hour or two without ever thinking about our step counts. Fall invites us to build walking into things we already want to do. And maybe that's the secret. Sometimes the best walking habit isn't created by adding something new to your calendar. It's created by finding something that makes you want to get outside and move. And maybe that's why so many walking events happen in the fall. There's less heat stress, lower humidity, and it's easier for long walks. You can enjoy the fall colors, the crisp air, and the seasonal changes that encourage outdoor activity. In fact, a study from the National Library of Medicine found that walking in parks during fall was associated with favorable nervous system responses, including lower stress-related activity and reduced heart rate compared with urban environments. So here are some tips from Realsimple.com to help you with your September reset. One, pace yourself. Slow and steady is the way to go. Two, stack new habits onto established routines. You can also try temptation bundling, which is pairing a task you usually avoid with something you genuinely enjoy. Three, plan for imperfect days. Even the best routines hit real world friction when family obligations or work fatigue start to set in. Map out likely roadblocks before they happen. Create simple if then plans to take the panic out of your busiest days. And finally, when a new habit inevitably slips, keep the voice in your head curious instead of critical. That's really interesting. Curiosity keeps the brain open to learning and problem solving. A healthy, fresh start leaves room for imperfect days, adjustments, and useful feedback. The goal is not to prove you can do it perfectly, it's to learn what helps you keep going. That may be the most useful way to think about a seasonal reset. The key is letting September inspire a fresh start without expecting it to transform you overnight. So again, that was from Realsimple.com. And the article was actually called The September Reset is Real. Here's why you suddenly want to organize your life. And so it applies to anything in your life that you want to organize. But in this case, I applied it to our favorite activity, walking. So don't go crazy. Forget about step goals, weight loss goals, or walking streets, and instead choose to walk 10 minutes after lunch or a couple of days per week. Choose to explore a new route or walk outside before noon. Invite a friend. Fresh starts work best when paired with realistic goals rather than complete life overhauls. What are you restarting this September listeners? Share your story with me. And if you're restarting a walk, share your walking story. September isn't about becoming a different person. It's about remembering the person you want to be. That's what resets are. In September, the weather is changing, daylight's changing, your schedule. Even be changing. Maybe your walking routine can change too. Not because you have to. If you have a perfect walking routine, then there's no need to change. But every season gives us another opportunity to take the next step. As we wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with one thought. You don't need a new year to make a new start. The calendar may say September, but for many of us, this month feels like the true beginning of something new. The summer rush is winding down, routines are shifting, and nature itself is preparing for a new season. Maybe that's why September feels like such a natural time to reset, not with a dramatic transformation or an impossible goal, just with a single step. Maybe your reset is a 10-minute walk after lunch. Maybe it's dusting off a favorite trail. Or maybe it's simply putting your walking shoes by the door tonight so you're ready tomorrow morning. Whatever your starting point, remember that walking doesn't require perfection or a special talent or expensive equipment or the perfect plan. It just requires a beginning. So as we move from summer into fall, I invite you to think about your own September reset. What would you like to start, restart, or refresh? I'd love to hear your answer. And again, I'd love to hear your walking stories. Share your September reset with me on Instagram at why underscore walking underscore matters or through the website at whywalking matters.com. And remember, if you enjoyed this episode or you're enjoying this podcast, be kind. Share with a friend. I also invite you to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. You'll get it in your inbox once a week. It includes an overview of the week's episode and weekly science tips and walking challenges. Listeners, the season may be changing, but the benefits of walking are here all year long. Until next time, keep putting one foot in front of the other, take care, enjoy the journey, and keep walking. Need catering for your next event? Let Vic Soup Spot Catering take care of the food. From family gatherings to office events and special celebrations, VIX serves up delicious, authentic Jamaican cuisine. Comforting food your guests will love. Serving New York City and surrounding areas.
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