Silent Walking

You may have heard the term “silent walking,” a wellness practice trending on TikTok and gaining the attention of the media right now. It’s simply walking without interference, like electronic devices, music, podcasts, or companions.  While some of the press has a negative tone (“Gen Z just discovered walking”), it is in many ways very positive as it’s spreading a practice rooted in mindfulness.  

Mindfulness is the act of bringing nonjudgmental attention to internal and external events as they arise in each moment. Internal events include thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and body sensations. External events mean environmental, situational, and interpersonal experiences. A mindful state of mind is receptive and attentive to the immediate experiences and associated with an attitude of curiosity and nonjudgmental acceptance, regardless of whether the event is perceived as pleasant or unpleasant. Being mindful is counter to being on automatic pilot; ruminating about the past or worrying about the future; and unconsciously reacting to one’s emotions, thoughts, experiences. In short, mindfulness is the intentional, accepting, and nonjudgmental focus of one’s attention on the emotions, thoughts, and sensations occurring in the present moment.  

Research suggests that mindfulness practice can have a positive impact on health and well-being including reducing stress, anxiety and depression, lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, helping cope with pain, boosting working memory and attention, increasing cognitive flexibility, and decreasing emotional reactivity.  

Meditation is one mindfulness practice, but practicing mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting cross-legged on a comfortable pillow saying Om, it can be practiced in a variety of active ways and integrated into daily routines like walking. Part of the genius of silent walking is the added benefit of exercise, without multitasking. Research has found that even small amounts of exercise, like walking, can extend longevity.  

So, hop on the Gen Z TikTok train (or really ancient tradition) and take time for a silent walk. Instead of walking into work checking your emails while on a Zoom call and eating a banana, take the minutes to just walk in without electronics and without multitasking. Untether from electronic devices, tune into your senses, take in the world around you, and allow space for your thoughts.  

This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.