Those things at the end of your legs are meant for walking

From a mental health perspective, regular brisk walking for at least 30 minutes most days of the week has been shown to lead to fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, and add to a greater feeling of overall wellbeing. — dpa

AS I write this, I had just finished a long walk around my favourite park when I caught myself thinking, “I should do this more – why don’t I?”

I recently had the chance to interview someone who could be described as a powerhouse when it comes to walking and, given his notable medical background, I was keen to get his views on why I – and everyone who’s able – should consider walking more than we do.

Prof Sibrand Poppema is the president of a private university here and has lived in Malaysia for the past five years. Previously, he spent over 25 years at the University of Groningen, Netherlands, serving as Dean of Medicine as well as Professor of Pathology, among other roles.

A Dutch friend once told me, “The Dutch love to walk and cycle whenever we can”, and Prof Poppema is no different.

“In my late 30s and 40s, I switched from playing sports to jogging and, in my 50s and 60s, to biking. This was my preferred home to work transport, adding up to approximately 35km per day.

“In Malaysia, biking is not really an option, so I switched again, to walking,” says the professor, who trained as a medical doctor, culminating in a postdoc from Harvard furthering his research on immunopathology.

I wanted to get his thoughts on the health benefits of walking and how taking up a daily routine of walking can help offset the effects of an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.

“In the long run, leading a sedentary lifestyle increases risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and poor overall fitness. On the other hand, the advantages of walking are that it helps to improve weight control and with diabetes prevention.

“What many people don’t realise is that it also prevents or improves hypertension to the extent that regular walking can replace anti-hypertensive drugs.

“Another benefit is it gives us time to relax and offers space for quality thinking time.”

Prof Poppema explains that he enjoys making time to go walking with his wife and their dogs, and that one of their favourite spots is Bayrocks Lake in Subang Jaya, Selangor, where they spot species ranging from fish, birds and squirrels, to monitor lizards and even some otters.

Looking to avoid any excuses when I’m feeling too lazy to exercise, I ask what advice he has for navigating the tropical weather here in Malaysia, and how people with busy schedules can develop a habit of walking.

“The most important factor is to make walking part of the daily routine,” says Prof Poppema.

“It’s also helpful to have a good umbrella! In general, rain is quite predictable in Malaysia. Most of the time, when one waits for an hour, it’s gone already.”

On the back of Prof Poppema’s advice, over the next year I aim to walk more to work (between LRT stations) and spend time walking while I’m at work. When I don’t exercise as much as I’d like, I notice I feel sluggish and stiff. When I’m more physically active, it makes me more relaxed, clear-headed, and energised.

From a mental health perspective, regular brisk walking for at least 30 minutes most days of the week has been shown to lead to fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, and add to a greater feeling of overall wellbeing.

As this is the time of year where people traditionally review their lifestyle habits, I ask Prof Poppema if he has any advice for people looking to become more physically active in 2024.

He says, “Be intentional in making it part of your lifestyle. This could mean taking public transport and walking. Even when driving, one might park a little bit farther from the office and walk the last part.

“Many have worries about the heat. In general, in the morning and evening, this is much less of a problem, and there is nothing that can’t be solved with a towel and a change of clothes. Start with a 20-minute walk and gradually progress to an hour.

“Finally, keep in mind that you are literally working towards planetary health – your own health as well as that of the planet. Cars are one of the major causes of pollution and climate change, after all.

“Reducing car use where you can is socially responsible and the benefits in the short and longterm for our well-being far outweigh the convenience of driving everywhere all the time.”

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Sunny Side Up columnist Sandy Clarke has long held an interest in emotions, mental health, mindfulness and meditation. He believes the more we understand ourselves and each other, the better societies we can create. If you have any questions or comments, email [e-mail]. The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.