I Tried Silent Walking for 30 Days: Here’s What I Learned About Unplugging

I’m someone who loves trying and buying new things—and my overstuffed closet proves it. I’ll admit that new isn’t always better, but sometimes it is. Take your exercise regimen, for example. It’s great to have a routine on deck, and if something works, it’s not necessary to fix it. But making improvements can always be a good idea.

Walking for my overall physical and mental well-being is one of my “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” habits. This form of exercise fits perfectly into my lifestyle. I work from home, so getting outdoors for some cardio serves as a welcome break from my desk. I’m also disciplined about making it happen. When I reach a good stopping point in my day, I simply lace up my sneakers and get moving.

A newer trend that caught my attention recently is silent walking, which is basically walking without your headphones. That’s right—getting in your steps sans music, phone calls, a good podcast or a friend to catch up with. That’s completely different from how I usually walk. I pretty much switch between all the above during my typical walks and enjoy it. I get two things done at once, and it doesn’t feel like exercise at all. But silent walking eliminates any distractions and could potentially help you unplug.

So, I decided to give this walking trend a shot. I ditched my digital distractions and tried silent walking for 30 days. Here’s what happened.

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What Is Silent Walking? (And How It Differs From Mindful Walking)

Silent walking involves taking a walk without listening to a playlist or completing another task, like catching up on an audio book for book club or chatting with a friend. According to Dr. Mikel Daniels, DPM, MBA, FACFAS, a board-certified podiatrist and the president and chief medical officer at WeTreatFeet Podiatry, the point is to stop supplying entertainment for every second of your walk.

Now, silent walking isn’t the same as mindful walking. Mindful walking involves a deliberate practice of being fully present in the moment, while silent walking doesn’t necessarily require the same structure or intention.

“With silent walking, most people do it for about 30 minutes, and they’ll leave their devices at home. If they do decide to bring their phone, they’ll leave it in their pocket with the screen off. Silent walking provides a sensory focus in a way; the soundtrack of the walk is purely ambient and it provides a hyper-stimulated brain space to unplug from digital overload, process thoughts or let the brain wander,” explains Dr. Sam Zand, DO, a psychiatrist and the founder/CEO of Anywhere Clinic.

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Why I Ditched My Headphones, Podcasts and Music for 30 Days

A few things to know about me? I’m type-A, my to-do list is always a mile long, and, although I carve out time for some brisk walks, I rarely take other breaks for my mental health throughout the workday. Needless to say, I need a little more zen in my life. As the leaves begin to change and the weather is getting a tad crisper, I figured this would be the perfect time of year to start silent walking to see if it would provide the mental reprieve I’d hoped, away from the screens and any other distractions.

Related: ‘I Tried Walking Backwards on a Treadmill—and Was Honestly Surprised By the Results’

The Mental Shift: Overcoming Boredom and Overthinking in Week 1

My mind is always racing, thinking about my next task, so silent walking took more than a week for me to get used to. As I said, I usually spend this time catching up with my mom—we have “walk and talks” as I stroll around my neighborhood and she walks around hers—or streaming my favorite podcast, Crime Junkie. That way, as I get my steps in for 45 minutes to an hour, my mind is occupied by something I genuinely look forward to. 

With silent walking, I was completely alone with my thoughts and surroundings—which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely made the workout feel longer and far less entertaining. While I knew I was doing something good for my physical and mental well-being, I couldn’t help but become bored—and tempted to cut my walk short.

Dr. Zand explains why this can happen, noting, “Spending time walking without distractions or stimulation might feel uncomfortable at first because our brain experiences dopamine withdrawal. When we constantly consume audio and visual stimuli, our brain adapts to high levels of stimulation and removing those and replacing it with silence instead creates a drop in engagement, which our brain may interpret as boredom or restlessness.”

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What 30 Days of Silent Walking Did for My Stress, Focus and Anxiety

My silent walking results were a bit of a mixed bag. During the first three weeks, it was challenging for me to completely unplug from my responsibilities and quiet the constant chatter in my mind. I believe I would have enjoyed the experience much more if I were listening to a mindfulness prompt or guided meditation while getting in my steps.

While I love soaking in the beautiful scenery this time of year and my walking route is peaceful and quiet, I realized I look forward to having some kind of distraction to keep myself “occupied.” When I’m left alone with my thoughts, my mind tends to wander back to my to-do list, which can make me feel more stressed than relaxed—the total opposite goal of a walk.

That said, by the end of my 30-day experiment, I did start to get the hang of it and learned that I needed to guide my mind a bit. Rather than reaching for my phone to scroll through social media or check my emails, I tried to focus on the foliage and autumnal decor throughout my community. I also found myself shifting my thoughts toward topics I was excited about, like upcoming travels and weekend plans.

I learned that silent walking can be incredibly beneficial if you do it right.

“Regular periods of quiet and movement work together by providing a reset for the nervous system, shifting energy outward, burning off excess stress hormones and releasing mood-boosting neurochemicals. Silence also promotes brain growth and cell regeneration in the hippocampus, while also lowering blood pressure, improving sleep depth and improving cognitive flexibility,” Dr. Zand explains.

Related: ‘I Tried Walking Backwards on a Treadmill—and Was Honestly Surprised By the Results’

The Physical Benefits: Mind-Body Connection and Posture

Although it’s not the same as mindful walking, I found myself naturally incorporating meditative elements into my walks. (The silence kind of forced me to!) 

For instance, I became more in sync with my senses and surroundings, from the cool breeze on my cheeks to the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet. Since my mind wasn’t occupied by any form of tech or other distractions, I also became more aware of how I was walking, including heel-to-toe strike, arm swing and posture. Whenever I noticed myself starting to slouch, I would adjust accordingly.

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Tips to Get Started: How to Practice Silent Walking Without Getting Bored

If you’re interested in silent walking, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Leave technology at home. This may be challenging at first, but it eliminates the temptation to check your phone or give up and stream a podcast.

2. Start small. If you usually walk for 45 minutes or more like I do, Dr. Daniels encourages you to start with just five to 10 minutes of silent walking. Once you get the hang of things, gradually add more time from there.

3. Notice your surroundings. You don’t need to examine every single detail, but Dr. Zand suggests being mindful of your surroundings and looking out for something new on each walk.

4. Allow your thoughts to flow freely. Let your thoughts show up, acknowledge them and gently shift your focus back to your surroundings.

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Final Verdict: Will I Keep Walking Without Headphones?

Silent walking may be beneficial for some people and not the best approach for others. Exercise isn’t one-size-fits-all, and that’s okay. Here’s some useful insight to keep in mind when deciding what works best for you and your routine.

“Listening to your favorite music can make a walk enjoyable and help someone stick with it. Think of it as distracting your mind from the activity. My concern is when filling every quiet moment becomes automatic. I would ask whether someone enjoys the audio or feels unable to be without it. Removing that input allows us to notice where our attention goes. That might mean becoming more aware of our surroundings. It might also mean noticing a worry we have been putting aside,” Dr. Daniels says.

I look at my walking workouts as an opportunity to get in some physical activity and kill two birds with one stone. An external “distraction,” if you will, helps me get the most out of this time I’m taking away from my desk to relax and decompress. It also makes me want to walk longer. That’s why, on most days, I’ll probably stick to walking with my headphones in—and I’m perfectly okay with it. However, on other days, when I’m in the mood to leave my phone behind and completely unplug, silent walking can do the trick.

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This story was originally published by Parade on Nov 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Wellness section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.