Starting your day with a walk brings a whole set of health benefits, whether you set the time aside specially or simply cover part of your way to work on foot. For the best result, begin with 15-20 minutes, five days a week.
8 reasons to walk in the morning:
- You will be charged with energy for the whole day;
- Your mood will improve;
- You will grow slimmer;
- You will keep a number of illnesses at bay;
- You will strengthen your body and raise your daily level of activity;
- Your concentration and clarity of mind will improve;
- You will sleep better and fall asleep faster;
- You will take up a healthy way of life.
1. Get your energy for the whole day
If you start your day with a walk, you will feel more energetic all day long, especially if you walk in the fresh air.
Studies on this point show that people who walked outdoors for 20 minutes felt brighter and more energetic than those who spent the same time exercising indoors.
It is safe to say that if you are feeling sleepy, five minutes of climbing stairs will give you more energy than a cup of coffee.
Next time you need a morning lift, try simply going for a walk.
2. Improve your mood
Morning walks will not only lift your mood, they will also
- raise your self-esteem;
- lower your stress level;
- reduce anxiety and the risk of depression.
3. Grow slimmer
A morning walk helps you take control of your weight. Walking at a moderate pace for 20 minutes, for instance, burns up to 150 calories. Combine that with healthy eating and strength training and you will certainly shed the extra kilos.
4. Keeping illness at bay
Walking is good for your health in many ways: among other things it strengthens the immune system, and so it both prevents illnesses and helps you cope with them.
Walking for 30 minutes a day lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease by almost 20 per cent. On top of that, it helps bring blood sugar down.
5. Stronger muscles and more activity.
To make your muscles stronger and more resilient, go up and down stairs more often, walk uphill and along winding roads, or use an inclined treadmill.
To improve muscle tone, add strengthening exercises such as squats and lunges a few times a week.
One of the advantages of a morning walk is that you settle the question of physical activity before the daily routine takes over and leaves you no time for it.
To make up for a lack of movement, I recommend exercising at moderate intensity for at least 2-3 hours a week.
For example, try to walk for 20-30 minutes five mornings a week.
6. Clear thinking
Morning walks will help you concentrate during the day and get your thinking going. It has long been noted that active people have better cognitive function than those who live a sedentary life.
What is more, walking will help you think more creatively and become more aware (to stay in the moment, "here and now". You will be able to open up a real stream of ideas and solve pressing problems better than you would sitting in the office or at home. This works especially well if you walk in the fresh air.
Start your day with a morning walk. Take care and stay healthy!
7. Sound, healthy sleep
A walk will help you sleep more soundly at night and wake up rested.
People who walk in the morning rather than in the evening report a marked improvement in the quality of their night's sleep. Further research is still needed, though, to work out why morning exercise in particular has this effect.
Start your day with a morning walk. Take care and stay healthy!
