After a meal, many of us sit down or lie back. A short, easy walk is a small change that costs nothing, needs no equipment and can be done at home. People often say it makes them feel lighter and less sleepy after eating.
What research suggests
A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis (Buffey and colleagues, Sports Medicine) pooled seven short, one-day studies in adults, most of whom were overweight. In these studies, people who interrupted long periods of sitting with brief bouts of light walking had lower blood sugar after meals than people who kept sitting. Standing breaks also helped, but walking showed the larger effect.
These were short experiments over a single day. They show that light walking breaks can help blood sugar after meals in the short term. They do not show long-term health benefits, and they are not a treatment for diabetes.
How to do it
- Walk at an easy pace you could talk at, for about five to ten minutes after your largest meal.
- Indoors is fine: around the house, up and down a corridor or the stairs.
- Start slowly after a heavy meal, and do not push to the point of breathlessness or discomfort.
- Pair it with a regular dinner time and a light evening meal.
Who should check with a doctor first
Please talk to your doctor before changing your routine if you take insulin or other medicines that can cause low blood sugar, have heart disease, have chest pain or breathlessness on effort, have a joint or balance problem, or are pregnant. If you feel dizzy, faint, or unwell while walking, stop and rest.
If you have diabetes or high blood sugar, a walk can be a helpful addition, but it should sit alongside the treatment and diet advice your doctor has given you, never replace it.
Source
Buffey AJ, Herring MP, Langley CK, Donnelly AE, Carson BP. The acute effects of interrupting prolonged sitting time in adults with standing and light-intensity walking on biomarkers of cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 2022. PubMed.
This article is for general education. It does not replace advice from your own doctor.
