If you happen to live near me at around 9pm, you might spot me lurking, loitering, dawdling, ambling around the neighbourhood… probably having a chin-wag with the dogs.
This new habit started on holiday. After dinner, we thought we’d go for a little walk. “Little” being relative - in mountainous terrain, a 20-minute stroll felt like summiting Everest. And when I returned home, I just… kept doing it. Instead of plonking my squidgy tush on the sofa to watch Netflix, I put the leads on the dogs and go for a gentle saunter.
And it’s genuinely brilliant.
As much as I like to pretend I don’t care about my step tracker app, I do get a kick seeing the number tip over 10,000. (Which, by the way, is total marketing fluff — I explain where it came from and what the research actually says in this blog post.) However, if I end the day on 9,350 steps, I will absolutely do laps around the kitchen to get the count up. Judge away, I can take it.
But beyond the smug step-count satisfaction, there’s something wonderful about a walk after dinner. Instead of being entertained by the TV or my phone, I’m now chatting with Mum/my other half/the dogs, wandering aimlessly in and around the village green. My brain unspools. My body softens. And the whole evening feels better.
I vaguely remembered from some diabetes research that walking after meals was genuinely good for your blood sugar. So I had a proper look.
The Science of the After-Dinner Stroll
Lowers Blood Sugar
After you eat — especially carbohydrate-rich foods — your body breaks those carbs down into glucose (sugar), which enters your bloodstream. Your pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that acts like a key, unlocking your cells so they can absorb and use the glucose for energy.
Here’s where walking makes a difference:
Muscles are one of the biggest users of glucose in the body. When you move — even just at a gentle pace — your muscles increase their energy demand. During this movement, they’re able to absorb glucose directly from the bloodstream through a process called non-insulin mediated glucose uptake. That means your muscles can act like giant sponges, soaking up excess sugar without needing as much insulin.
This helps flatten the blood sugar curve after meals, easing the strain on your pancreas and preventing those sharp glucose spikes and crashes that leave you tired, irritable, or craving biscuits.
A 2013 study found that three 15-minute walks after each main meal significantly improved blood sugar levels across the day — and were more effective than one longer 45-minute walk. The biggest benefit was seen after dinner, when blood sugar spikes tend to be highest. So, if you’re only going to pick one walk, post-dinner might be your best bet.
And you don’t even need 15 minutes. A 2022 meta-analysis found that even 2–5 minutes of light walking after meals reduced glucose spikes. That means even a slow shuffle to the end of the road and back might be doing more for your health than you think.
Cultural Wisdom: This Isn’t New
This whole post-meal walking thing might sound trendy, but it’s not.
In Italy, evening strolls after dinner — la passeggiata — are a daily ritual. It's a time to unwind, socialise, digest… and walk off the tiramisu.
In India, Ayurvedic teachings recommend a short walk after meals to “stimulate the digestive fire” — they even have a term for it: shatapavali (literally "100 steps").
In Japan, walking is a normal part of daily life, even among the elderly — and their rates of lifestyle-related disease are among the lowest in the world.
So if you’ve ever felt like walking after dinner was a bit eccentric… you’re actually part of a long, global tradition of people who move after they eat.
Supports Digestion
After a meal, your digestive system ramps up — but if you stay sedentary, that process can get a little sluggish. A gentle walk activates your parasympathetic nervous system (aka “rest and digest” mode), which tells your body it’s time to calm down and focus on breaking down that delicious dinner.
Walking also helps with gastrointestinal motility — i.e. your gut gets moving. Technically, it’s a series of smooth muscle contractions that move food through your digestive tract… but I prefer to think of it as a conga line happening in your intestines. A post-meal stroll encourages that rhythm to kick in, helping you feel lighter, less bloated, and far less like you need to lie down groaning “why did I eat all that?”
Bonus: some early research also links post-meal walking to reduced acid reflux and bloating, especially in people with slower digestion or IBS.
Improves Sleep
Late-night scrolling is not helping your melatonin levels, but gentle movement? That’s a different story.
Light walking — especially outside — can help regulate your circadian rhythm. Your body clock takes cues from light, temperature, and movement. An evening stroll can help trigger melatonin production by telling your body, “Hey, we’re winding down now.” Plus, it lowers cortisol (your stress hormone), calms the nervous system, and gets rid of that jittery energy that builds up after a busy day.
Boosts Mood
You don’t need to hit the gym to release feel-good chemicals. Even a short, relaxed walk can trigger:
Endorphins (your natural painkillers and mood boosters)
Dopamine (motivation and pleasure)
Oxytocin (if you’re walking with someone you like — human or otherwise)
Serotonin (linked to mood, memory, and digestion)
Add in a bit of greenery, fresh air, and a break from screens, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a mini mental reset.
Negatives? Technically… no.
Unless you’re strolling through a thunderstorm wearing a metal jacket and shouting “Strike me down, Zeus!”, there really aren’t many downsides.
That said, potential risks include:
Becoming smug and quoting studies like “a 2013 trial found improved glycaemic response post-prandially…” (just me?)
Mild village gossip: “She’s walking. Again. And talking to the dogs.”
Developing a strange fondness for the word peristalsis (intestine conga)
Sending screenshots of your steps as they reach over 15k
Final Thoughts
A short stroll after dinner might not sound like much — but the benefits stack up. Better blood sugar control, smoother digestion, improved sleep, a lighter mood… all from a few lazy laps around the block. No fancy gear, no gym membership, no special time slot — just your feet, your food, and a few minutes.
You don’t need to commit to a new lifestyle. Just try it tonight. Walk to the end of the road. Breathe in the air. Let the meal settle. Let the day soften. And if it becomes a habit? Even better.
And if you suddenly feel the urge to drop into downward dog mid-stroll — don’t fight it. That’s just your intestines celebrating.
Photo by Jens Peter Olesen on Unsplash