7 Key Benefits Of Walking For Women With PCOS
- Meg Clifford
- Jul 30, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 8, 2020
Walking has proven health benefits for humans and, for women living with polycystic ovary syndrome, walking is a gateway to taking control of your exercise habits.
Walking is easy to get started with, all you need is a pair of trainers or walking boots and off you go. Whether that's starting off with a walk around your local housing estate, or through a nature reserve, the outdoors is the place to be for a great walk.
Walking to improve my PCOS
If you have been following along with my journey on social media, you'll know that I try to get in two walks every day. One in the morning that usually takes me between 20 and 30 minutes and one in the evening where I try to aim to be out for an hour. Not only has walking significantly increased by physical health, but it has also helped me a lot mentally.
Below is an in-depth look at what makes walking great for women with PCOS!
1. Improve Circulation
Walking decreases your risk of developing health problems such as heart disease as it brings your heart rate up, lowers your blood pressure and strengthens your heart. According to a recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, women who walk 30 minutes a day can reduce their risk of stroke by 20%, and by 40% when they stepped up the pace. As women with PCOS can suffer from symptoms such as poor circulation, it is important to keep on top of heart health.
2. Enjoy a Longer Life
The Harvard school of public health recently published a study that highlighted how individuals who did 75 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly lived 1.8 years longer, on average, compared with people who did no physical activity. Greater amounts of physical activity were associated with additional life expectancy gains. A fast-paced walk is considered as moderate-intensity exercise and as life is worth living, take your opportunity to get a couple of extra years in!
3. Lighten Your Mood
A very common symptom of PCOS is low moods, angry moods, sad moods, basically all kind of moods that aren't your usual happy self. This sucks. On top of feeling low for absolutely no reason, PCOS has also been shown to be the route cause of anxiety in many women who live with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Walking releases natural painkilling endorphins to the body – one of the emotional benefits of exercise. A California State University, Long Beach, study showed that the more steps people took during the day, the better their moods were. This is incredibly important research for PCOS sufferers and shows that there is a natural way to improve your mood and make yourself feel happier! Walking is such an easy exercise which you can achieve a lot from!
4. Lose Weight
A brisk 30-minute walk burns 200 calories. Over time, calories burned can lead to pounds dropping off you. If you combine walking with healthy eating, then you are on a great path to achieving a healthier body. After all, you only get one body in this life, so treat it well! For women with PCOS, weight retention in areas such as your low abdomen, thighs and arms is something many women find hard to deal with. Walking allows you to slowly work towards reducing weight in these problem areas. You need to remember though that this is a life long journey, as PCOS has no cure, but can be managed. Getting on top of your weight now will help your body for the future.
5. Strengthen Muscles
Walking tones your leg and abdominal muscles – and even arm muscles if you pump them as you walk. This increases your range of motion, shifting the pressure and weight from your joints to your muscles. As mentioned in point 4, many women with PCOS struggle with weight retention, so getting out for a walk is a great way to get your body pumping happy hormones, improve circulation and strengthen your muscles.
6. Improve Sleep
The specific impact of sleep disturbances on the health of women with PCOS is not yet clear; however, both PCOS and sleep disturbances are associated with deterioration in cardiometabolic health in the longer term and increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a research paper that looks at the impact of sleep deprivation on women with PCOS (DOI: 10.2147/NSS.S127475). Clinic-based studies indicate that sleep disturbances and disorders including obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness occur more frequently among women with PCOS compared to comparison groups without the syndrome.
Going for a daily walk doesn't just help with your weight, it will also keep you up less often at night as exercise boosts the effect of natural sleep hormones such as melatonin. Being exposed to natural light by walking outside in the morning helps keep a strong circadian rhythm, which promotes healthy sleep. Exercise is also associated with stress reduction and physical well-being, both of which could be pathways to sleeping better.
7. Improve Your Breath
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, regular, 30-minute walks increase lung capacity. This also strengthens the lungs. With increased lung capacity, you will breathe easier, and your lungs will stay healthier longer. This is great news for women with PCOS, as our bodies are trying to cope with the symptoms, having a healthier body will allow you to manage your symptoms more effectively. When walking, your breathing rate increases, causing oxygen to travel faster through the bloodstream, helping to eliminate waste products and improve your energy level and the ability to heal. As many of the symptoms of PCOS, such as extreme cramping is incredibly painful, the ability to heal our bodies is always going to be positive!

Thank you to everyone supporting and following my PCOS journey!
I'm aiming to raise awareness of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome which has had a big impact on my life.
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That was a really well written and informative article. Definitely helps me understand PCOS and how my partner can manage it!