The Pedestrian Council of Australia has partnered with the Black Dog Institute to promote the mental health benefits of regular walking.
Through the Walk to Work Day campaign, the organisations are shining a light on the challenges Australian workplaces face, with mental health issues estimated to cost businesses more than $39 billion annually due to lost productivity, absenteeism, and staff turnover.
According to the Black Dog Institute, one in five Australians experiences mental illness each year, yet nearly half do not access professional support.
Laura Edwards, fundraising director at the Black Dog Institute, said that regular physical activity can play a key role in maintaining and improving mental health.
“Engaging in exercise has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of depression, including major depressive disorder, with studies finding that walking for an hour a day can reduce the risk of major depression by up to 26 per cent,” she said.
Walking before, during, or after work is an easy way to reset and boost wellbeing.
“This is because exercise promotes positive changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation and new activity patterns that support calm, focus and overall wellbeing,” she added.
