TikTok wellness trends come and go, and it’s often questionable how much good they actually do. We’re not here to hate on hot girl walks — it’s more the obsession over “clean” eating-slash-living-slash-everything, detoxing every day (note: your body detoxes itself!), and idealizing the impossibly perfect morning routine (when simple ones work just as well). That said, some TikTok trends truly can make a positive impact on our health and wellbeing, and silent walking may just be one of them.
Silent walks are basically what they sound like: going for a walk without any music, podcasts, or videos, unplugging as much as possible and being as mindful and in the moment as you can. It may not sound earth-shattering, but consider how plugged-in we are in our day-to-day lives. Many of us spend eight to nine hours (or more) staring at a screen, listening to music or podcasts, watching TV, and constantly keeping ourselves in a state of distraction. When that’s your “normal,” completely unplugging for a 20-minute walk can feel like a revelation — and “a breath of fresh air,” says Dr. Ryan Sultan, a board-certified psychiatrist and therapist and professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University.
“Silent walking allows for a mental decluttering, a space where one can be with their thoughts, observe the world around them, and engage in a form of moving meditation,” Sultan tells SheKnows. “In the chaos of modern living, finding finding moments of silence and mindfulness can profoundly impact mental health.”
The trend appears to have started thanks to a now-deleted TikTok from creator Mady Maio. According to the New York Times, Maio’s boyfriend actually encouraged her to try it, and it was an idea she initially scoffed at. “My anxiety could never,” she said.
The first two minutes of Maio’s silent walks felt like mental “mayhem,” she said, but eventually she entered a “flow state” where she thought up new ideas and found “clarity,” per the New York Post. “The universe and your intuition comes to you through whispers, so if you’re never alone with your thoughts and you never get quiet you’re gonna miss the whispers,” she said, “and those whispers are the most important to be paying attention to.” It’s a habit that Maio seems to have stuck to, noting in recent videos that she still does 30-minute silent walks in the morning.
The trend has since taken off across TikTok. It did gain its inevitable detractors (“Gen Z discovers walking!” was a popular one), but many creators have found silent walking to be both a mental challenge and a much-needed form of reconnecting with themselves. “It’s a great example of how dependent I am on constant stimulation,” said one creator, who struggled to quiet her thoughts. “I’m so overstimulated,” wrote another. “The idea of going on a walk and just listening to my own thoughts has been ELITE.”
Experts are supporting the silent walking trend too. “From a mental health perspective, this practice can be quite beneficial,” says Sultan. “Engaging in physical activity like walking already carries numerous mental health benefits, such as improving mood and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.” Add in the mindfulness that comes from disconnecting from your devices and you can enhance those benefits, Sultan goes on, “aiding in stress reduction and promoting a sense of peace and calm.”
Silent walking is “essentially a form of active meditation,” New York-based psychotherapist Kimberlin Shepard tells SheKnows, one that might suit people who struggle with seated meditation. “A silent walk is active enough that it keeps you stimulated and offers outside distractions to keep the mind from wandering,” Shepard explains. Plus, it helps you feel connected to something outside of yourself. “If you take a walk outside, observe the trees around you, smile at a stranger, smell the fresh air, feel the cool fall breeze,” she says. “You are activating your senses, which stimulates your brain and allows you to be mindful.”
Shepard says she’s been recommending this practice to clients for some time now, and Sultan says he would “absolutely” do the same. “Incorporating silent walking into one’s routine can be a practical and accessible way to enhance mental well-being,” he explains. “It allows for a moment of pause, encouraging individuals to connect with their surroundings and their inner thoughts more authentically, fostering a sense of mindfulness that can be a protective factor against the stresses of everyday life.”
If you’re feeling increasingly stressed-out and disconnected from yourself, taking yourself on a 20- or 30-minute silent walk might be worth a try. While it’s no substitute for professional mental health services like therapy, silent walking could be a valuable tool to add your mental health routine.
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