4 Ways In Person Shopping is Good for Your Health

Recently, my daughter and I needed something to wear to two separate family occasions, so we went shopping the old fashioned way – at a store, in person. We went through the racks of dresses, thinking about both occasions and venues and what would be appropriate for each. We picked out armfuls of dresses and then tried each one on and decided Yay or Nay. Even though neither of us like to shop, it was fun.

The excursion got me thinking about the shopping experience and how it’s changed so much over the years. We’ve seen huge retail stores shut their doors and there’s always discussion about how brick and mortar retailers can compete with online shopping.

There are definitely benefits for shopping online, but when it comes to your health, there are real benefits of shopping in person – the old-fashioned way. Here are a few

Health benefits of shopping in person:

1. Gets you moving

The American Heart Association recommends 10,000 steps a day as an activity goal for heart health. In person shopping will get you way more steps than online shopping. If you struggle to find time to work out or get moving throughout the day, think of your trip to the store as an opportunity to get moving.

2. Gets you out of the house

Getting out of the house can be good for your mental health. A change in routine helps stimulate the brain even if it takes more energy. Instead of relying on things being delivered to your door because you just don’t want to get out, when you need something, do it the old-fashioned way.

3. Interaction with people

This might not always seem like a benefit because people are not perfect. I know. People don’t know how to drive, how to scan their credit card, walk too slow, are always in your way, etc especially when you’re in a hurry. If you’ve had a rough day at the office and you’ve had plenty of human interaction, a shopping trip to anywhere for anything is just not what you want. In that case, leave it for another day if you can. Otherwise, go be with people.

4. Tactile stimulation

Shopping the old-fashioned way gets your senses going and stimulates the brain. Why do you decide to buy a particular product? Is it mostly what you see? When I was trying on dresses, I wanted the dress to look nice on me, but I also wanted to feel good wearing it. That experience is impossible to duplicate online. For now, at least.

Consumers have lots of shopping options. When it comes to your physical and mental health, there are some benefits to doing it the old-fashioned way.