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Walking has been a morning ritual for many people for ages. A morning walk is considered the most commonly performed exercise in India. There are several benefits of a morning walk1.
There are so many benefits of morning walk, adding an audiobook or any favorite playlist will make your walk even more enjoyable. You can also grab a workout snack. Walking is an aerobic exercise and comes under the type of moderate-intensity exercise2. From mental health benefits to physical health, it impacts the overall dimensions of your health.
Walking helps in a variety of ways from maintaining a healthy weight, improving blood circulation, lowering blood pressure, reducing body fat, and reducing joint pain. Morning walks and fresh air are really useful for improving lung health.3
The benefits of a morning walk are boosting metabolism and hence aiding in losing weight faster. Starting a better and healthy life is all about taking one foot forward over the other. The fresh morning air helps you maintain a good mood throughout the day.
What are the Benefits of Morning Walk?
There are several benefits of morning walking but using proper walking shoes is very important to maintain appropriate walking techniques and prevent injury. A healthy diet along with regular morning walks is helpful to burn calories faster4. No person is benefitted from skipping breakfast, in the long run, hence having a healthy breakfast after a morning walk is very essential.
The benefits of morning walk are very fascinating. Following are some of these:
- Reduced risk of health deterioration, especially for people with lifestyle-related illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
- Walking is also a low-impact aerobic exercise5 that is light on your knees and appropriate for people of all ages.
- The benefits of a morning walk are appreciated it lifts your spirits, alleviates anxiety, lets you enjoy the morning air, boosts blood flow, and gives you an energy boost for the remainder of the day.
- Brisk walking helps in maintaining cardiovascular fitness.
- Walking is the easiest warm-up for any new exercise routine.
- The purest air is discovered in the early morning hours. Along with other gases, oxygen is prevalent in clean air. The cells receive oxygen when they breathe it in and use it for all of their tasks. Your likelihood of getting sick or having a disease decreases when your body is functioning normally.
Oxygen is negatively charged, and the morning air is rich in negative ions. You should breathe in that clean air as much as possible since the more negative ions there are, the more oxygen there is. You’ll feel rejuvenated and in a positive mood owing to these air-negative ions or oxygen.
11 Proven Health Benefits of Morning Walk
Check out the list of 11 health benefits of a morning walk, which will surely motivate you to get up early in the morning and go for a brisk walk.
1. Improves Heart Health
The benefits of morning walks include the prevention of heart disease. A morning walk is extremely useful in maintaining improved blood circulation, it also helps to lower blood pressure. A morning walk keeps your heart healthy. Walking is the best physical activity for people with high blood pressure.
Adequate blood circulation keeps your mind sharp, maintains a healthy heart, and even gives your skin a natural flush. It also aids in the speedier healing of wounds. People who cannot walk for a long time can take short walks which is beneficial in the long run. healthier meals and daily routines aid in maintaining overall health.
2. Improves Mental Health
Physical activity is very important for every individual in the stressful life of today’s world. A morning walk helps mental clarity which is especially improved in geriatric age groups6. A morning walk stabilizes cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease.
Morning walks improve brain function walking regularly helps to relieve symptoms of mental health illnesses like depression. General practitioners usually recommend walking or any other physical activity along with medications.
Physical activity helps in stress management and improves the overall quality of life of people with mental problems. Patients with anxiety and panic attacks largely benefited from walking regularly.
There is some research showing that people with agoraphobia, who are afraid of particular places or circumstances, can gain from aerobic activity as a way to manage some of their dread.
3. Boosts Immune Function
You can lower your chances of getting the flu or a cold by walking every day. According to studies, those who walk for at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week acts as immune system booster.
The elimination of bacteria from the respiratory tract and airways may be aided by walking regularly. This could lower your risk of contracting the flu, the common cold, or other illnesses.
White blood cells and antibodies are altered by exercise (WBC). WBCs are the immune system’s disease-fighting cells in the body.
Since these WBCs or antibodies circulate more quickly than in the past, they may be able to identify illnesses earlier than in the past. Nobody is sure, though, if these modifications aid in infection prevention.
A brisk walk results in a brief increase in body temperature, which may stop bacteria from multiplying. Increased body temperature could aid the body’s ability to fight infection. Similar to when you experience a fever, this occurs. Stress substances are released more gradually after exercise.
4. Helps with Insomnia
It is better to walk than to take pills. Walking or any physical activity helps to improve sleep quality. Maintaining a proper sleep cycle is extremely important to maintain energy levels throughout the day. The benefits of a morning walk, it boosts melatonin production in your body, which in turn helps you to sleep better.
Implicitly, walking might also promote sleep. For instance, indulging in moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise can lower the risk of rapid weight gain, which therefore decreases the probability of developing obstructive sleep apnea symptoms (OSA)7.
Sleep disorders are caused by irregular circadian rhythms, parasomnias like REM Behavior Disorder and sleepwalking, and dyssomnias including sleep apnea, hypersomnia, and insomnia. Additionally, because sleep disturbances are so widespread, they may result in serious chronic sleep deprivation.
Although there are many pharmacological interventions available to treat various sleep problems, walking is thought to be one of the finest non-pharmacological interventions for enhancing your sleep.
5. Morning Walks Control the Blood Sugar Levels
Prophylaxis for people having prediabetes or the ones who are prone to having one.
For persons with diabetes, walking is a great way to improve their health and treat Type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, brisk walking exercises can help you keep your blood sugar levels and weight stable.
There are several benefits of morning walks like the management of insulin levels8. Weight loss is another effect of morning walks which is extremely useful for people with diabetes. Not just walking but walking daily is consistently very important in diabetic or prediabetic individuals.
While out there for a walk, it is advisable to have a source of fast-acting glucose on hand (fruit juice, sugar pills) in case you encounter an episode of hypoglycemia.
6. Effect On Joints
Both your muscles and bones will get stronger. Some studies say a 15-minute walk can even help control a sweet tooth.
Benefits of morning walk, for people having arthritis. According to research, aerobic exercise helps reduce joint problems pain, and stiffness. Walking may also lower your risk of becoming disabled. Walking helps relieve arthritis pain.
Another advantage for arthritis patients is that regular brisk walking helps enhance mood and sleep, both of which can be hard while struggling with arthritis’s chronic discomfort and pain.
Some individuals might find it challenging to get out of bed in the morning due to joint and muscle pain. Adding to the long number of advantages of morning walking, walking helps protect your joints by hydrating and strengthening the muscles around the joints.
Chronic conditions like arthritis can become more common as you age. Walking can be a wonderful approach to alleviating the pain, stiffness, and swelling associated with arthritis because it is a low-impact activity on your joints.
7. Aids in Weight Loss
Weight loss includes the common benefits of morning walking, weight loss has been the most trending issue in today’s world. People of every age want to lose weight and stay fit. Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise a person can perform to lose weight. Walking with a walking buddy and investing in a tracker is a smart choice if you are looking for weight loss.
Early morning walks prove to be beneficial because when brisk walking without having anything in the morning helps you burn more calories and boost your metabolism.9
Morning Walk can be a good warm-up for people who work out early morning.
On the other hand, a study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology found that walking only 7,500 steps a day may be sufficient to prevent type II diabetes (of which 3,000 should be done at a brisk pace, the equivalent of 30 minutes of walking). Weight loss further prevents obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.
8. Helps in Staying Socialized
The benefits of a morning walk, staying socialized walking in the morning helps you stay socialized because you start interacting with new people. Your social life will grow at the rate of morning walks because they allow you to engage with a range of different people every day.
As is the case with many elderly adults who meet for these walks and spend some time together, a morning stroll is often a time for sociability. People can find calm during their morning walks before the demands of the day’s work begin, especially if they drive to the office.
A morning walk is calming due to the combined effect of the fresh air and the peaceful environment, including the sound of birds tweeting, etc.
Social interaction is good for the mental health of people. A nature trail nearby helps you find an interactive group that further makes you feel better.
9. Enhances Skin Health
Wrinkles and fine lines take longer to appear after a walk. It helps the body rid itself of dead cells and increases the production of red blood cells (RBCs). Walking decreases the possibility of acquiring pimples, acne, and other skin-related problems because it increases blood circulation.
Every morning, take a brisk walk; with time, you’ll see your skin beginning to glow. The best results will be obtained through regular, brisk walking.
Walking increases blood circulation, giving you skin that is healthy and radiant. The ideal way for better blood circulation is walking.
10. Lowers the Risk of Cancer
You are already aware of the value of exercise for cancer prevention, and how it can increase the quality of life while enduring cancer treatment and help control weight, sex hormones, and insulin levels. Numerous biological effects of a morning walk on the body have been identified, some of which have been put forth to explain links to particular cancers.
These consist of:
- Cutting the amounts of growth factors and sex hormones like estrogen that have been implicated in the onset and progression of cancer.
- Avoid high blood insulin levels, which have been associated with cancer onset and progression and lowering inflammation.
- Enhancing immune system performance.
- Modifying bile acid metabolism and reducing gastrointestinal exposure to these alleged carcinogens.
- Reducing the time, it takes for food to be digested reduces the vulnerability of the gastrointestinal tract to potential carcinogens.
- Assisting in the prevention of obesity increases the likelihood of several malignancies.
11. Helps to Tone the Body
If you want to look trim and toned, losing fat just won’t cut it. One can have a fabulously toned figure by walking instead of engaging in an intense workout. Walking briskly in the morning can aid in regaining muscle tone.
You can strengthen your belly, legs, and other body areas. Your calf, buttock, and quad muscles can be characterized by daily walking. Do not join a gym! Take early morning walks to have a finely tuned body.
Key Takeaways
Morning walks improve good blood circulation and heart health. A proper exercise schedule is very important for the reduction of belly fat, and reduced blood pressure.
A morning walk increases your energy levels to work throughout the day. Regular walking improves blood circulation. using headsets and carrying a water bottle with your favorite playlist is one of the few tips for effective and consistent walking in the morning.
Early morning walks a day keep the doctor away.
FAQs
1. What is the best time for a walk?
Ans. The ideal time for a walk is between 7 am to 11 am. This is the best time for you to have a brisk walk and increase your metabolism and energy level.
2. What is one disadvantage of walking in the morning?
Ans. In the earlier hours after waking up, your energy level is naturally low, this will hinder your morning walks.
3. Can morning walks make your skin glow?
Ans. Yes, with increased blood circulation, with a morning walk your skin will glow naturally.
- Palad, Maki, and Mubashar Rehman. “Why Seniors May Benefit From Morning Walks.” ↩︎
- Hansen, D., et al. “Continuous low-to moderate-intensity exercise training is as effective as moderate-to high-intensity exercise training at lowering blood HbA 1c in obese type 2 diabetes patients.” Diabetologia 52 (2009): 1789-1797. ↩︎
- Meghji, Jamilah, et al. “Improving lung health in low-income and middle-income countries: from challenges to solutions.” The Lancet 397.10277 (2021): 928-940. ↩︎
- Detz, Jeanine. “Burn 600 calories without breaking a sweat: dive in to get leaner, firmer, and sexier this summer.” Shape 27.12 (2008): 176-184. ↩︎
- Umar, Umar. “The effect of low impact and mixed impact aerobic exercise on percentage of body fat.” Asian Social Science 10.5 (2014): 163-167. ↩︎
- Barua, Ankur, et al. “A cross-sectional study on quality of life in geriatric population.” Indian journal of community Medicine 32.2 (2007): 146-147. ↩︎
- Mannarino, Massimo R., Francesco Di Filippo, and Matteo Pirro. “Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.” European journal of internal medicine 23.7 (2012): 586-593. ↩︎
- Zaharieva, Dessi P., and Michael C. Riddell. “Insulin management strategies for exercise in diabetes.” Canadian journal of diabetes 41.5 (2017): 507-516. ↩︎
- Mullin, Gerard E. The gut balance revolution: boost your metabolism, restore your inner ecology, and lose the weight for good!. Rodale, 2015. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
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