Evening walk: Doctor shows how to improve digestion and sleep!

After a long day at work, many people like to take a walk in the evening to relax, relieve stress and help with better digestion after dinner.

However, does walking too late affect your health? And what time of night is best to walk for both digestion and sleep?

Why is walking after dinner pleasant?

Dr Surakshith TK, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Fortis Escort Hospital in India, explains that walking after a meal can actually be beneficial. After eating, walking helps stimulate the digestive system. It promotes the contractions of the digestive system, which helps reduce bloating or heaviness. Gentle movement helps with peristalsis – the contractions that move food through the digestive tract. This means that if you have just had a big dinner and are feeling heavy, a light walk can help you feel better, keep your bowels moving and reduce the feeling of fullness, according to health news site Only My Health.

After a long day at work, many people like to take a walk in the evening to relax and relieve stress.

Photo: AI

What happens if you walk too late?

However, the timing of your walk is important. According to Dr. Surakshith, the trouble starts when you walk too late, especially close to bedtime. Our bodies operate on a circadian rhythm, which regulates not only sleep but also digestion, he explains. Exercising at night can disrupt your body clock, slowing down digestion and affecting bowel function.

Late and vigorous walking can wake the body up when it should be resting, reducing the quality of sleep, causing fatigue the next day. Poor sleep also affects the gut microbiome, which can easily lead to problems such as indigestion, constipation or bloating.

Walking in the evening properly

Dr. Surakshith emphasizes that evening walks should not be avoided, but should be done properly.

Walking for 30-60 minutes after a meal will help with digestion. Just avoid overexertion when your body needs to rest.

Specifically:

• Take a walk after dinner, not before bed.
• Walk slowly or moderately, avoid walking fast or doing strenuous exercise late at night.
• Listen to your body - if you find it difficult to sleep or feel heavy in your stomach, reduce the intensity.
• See it as a relaxing activity, not a workout, according to Only My Health .

In short, a walk after dinner is good for digestion and the mind, but going too late can be counterproductive, disrupting sleep and affecting gut health. A gentle walk at the right time will help you achieve the perfect balance between relaxation and healthy digestion.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/di-bo-buoi-toi-bac-si-chi-cach-de-tot-cho-tieu-hoa-lan-giac-ngu-185251028234605133.htm