Move in the Right Direction Post-meal

How many times have you felt stuffed, bloated or sleepy after eating meals? Fear no more, there is a solution for these symptoms!

Gentle movement, like going on a comfortable 10- to 15-minute walk after your meals, has been shown to improve digestion, boost your mood, enhance sleep and even improve blood sugar levels. Check out the information below to learn more about how post-meal movement benefits you.

Improved Digestion

Movement is a stimulating factor in the digestive system. Walking helps move food through the digestive tract. Gentle movement after your meal also helps prevent bloating, gas and constipation. Walking or other light aerobic exercises speed up our heart rate and breathing, which leads to increased contraction of muscles in the intestines, in turn increasing digestion and moving food along the tract faster.

Mood Booster

Walking can also improve mental health and reduce stress, as well as decrease levels of adrenaline and cortisol, which are considered stress hormones. As we walk, the body also releases endorphins that boost mood, reduce stress and cause feelings of relaxation.

Enhanced Sleep

Regular exercise has a positive effect on our circadian rhythm and promotes deeper sleep. Preparing an after-meal walking schedule has been shown to decrease symptoms of insomnia. Plus, getting a good night’s rest helps to improve your mood in the morning.

Improved Blood Sugar Levels

Our blood sugar levels change throughout the day, but the goal is to keep them consistent. Directly after eating, your blood sugar levels rise. A 15-minute walk can help decrease some of that glucose, or sugar, in the bloodstream and improve the way insulin works in your body. Your muscles need glucose when they are active, so this movement helps manage blood sugar.

Now that you know how gentle movement impacts your body, try incorporating an after-meal walk into your routine and take note of how it makes your body feel!

About the author

Kelci Cost

Kelci Cost is a college help team member on the Slainte Fitness team at USLI.