Benefits of Morning Walks

My Top 5 Physical & Mental Benefits of  Morning Walk

We all know the old proverb ‘health is wealth’. And the older we get, the more we agree with this age-old saying. But health doesn’t come for free. You have to work for it – workout that is! The simplest, and most natural, workout of them all is regular morning walks. The numerous benefits of morning walks, extends to everyone, whether you’re a man or a woman, young or old!

With the air being much fresher, cooler and relatively pollution-free, mornings are undeniably the best time to go for a walk. And it’s not very hard to notice either. A lung-full of pure oxygen in the morning immediately has a refreshing effect on the body and mind. Besides the obvious effect, morning walks help with numerous health issues, ranging from obesity to heart issues, sleeplessness to depression. That’s right, the benefits of morning walks cover not just the physical, but also mental health, and in this article, I will list out both. Continue reading to know the top 10 benefits of morning walks. Let’s start with the Physical Benefits.

Top 5 Physical Benefits Of Morning Walks

It’s surely interesting how such a simple act that comes almost automatically to us can have any substantial benefit on physical health. However, the inner workings of the body are much more complicated than we imagine, and studies have shown that regular walking can prevent many serious ailments.

Physical Benefits Of Morning Walks #1:  Burns Excess Fat

Believe it or not, but the simple act of walking on a regular basis can help you lose weight. Through our torso, legs, and arms, hundreds of muscles are simultaneously working, while we’re walking. And compared to high-intensity workouts, that burn about 35% of its calories from fat, walking burns about 60% of its calorie requirement from fat. So while high-intensity workouts will burn more calories overall in a single session, regular walking will give you very noticeable results.

Although, it is alright to go walking any time of the day, choosing specific times can help focus on burning fat or help in recovery. For example, a good 40 min walk before breakfast will help burn fat compared to walking after a workout. This is because it is harder for the body to burn fat when your insulin level is high. On the other hand, taking a walk at the end of a high-intensity workout will help the body with recovery as well as burn of the free fatty acid released by the exercise. This is the same principle that I have successfully applied to Clean The Beach Boot Camp, a movement that focuses on the health of the body as well as of the planet, where walking is an integral part of the workout that among other benefits, also helps lose weight. Find out here how CBBC helps you lose weight and even earn some good karma.

Physical Benefits Of Morning Walks #2: Reduced Risk Of Metabolic Syndrome

This here is a biggie! The metabolic syndrome consists of various risk factors that highly increase your chances of getting a cardiovascular disease, which includes insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, increased levels of triglycerides, high blood pressure and low HDL cholesterol. The convenient act of walking that we have at our disposal, help boost up the metabolic rates and enzyme activities in our body. This helps reduce the chances of developing metabolic syndromes to such an extent that, according to experts, just 3 hours of morning walk every week makes you half as likely of contracting a cardiovascular disease compared to those who don’t exercise at all.

Physical Benefits Of Morning Walks #3: Helps Prevent Heart Diseases

Although walking is one of the most natural exercises you could practice, just 30 minutes of daily walking can have a significant effect in cutting down your chances of heart disease. Walking boosts up your heart rate, thereby increasing the blood circulation in your body, and keeps your heart healthy. It also pumps up the high-density lipoproteins(HDL) in your body, which considerably reduces the chances of a heart attack. So instead of worrying too much about your health, just take a walk!

Physical Benefits Of Morning Walks #4: Prevents Growth Of Cancer Cells

Here’s something to cheer up the ladies. Studies have shown that regular walking reduces the chances of breast cancer developing after menopause. Walking alters the estrogen metabolic ratio in the body. Thus by reducing the estrogen hormone in the body, walking prevents the cancer cells from growing in your body.

Physical Benefits Of Morning Walks #5: Fights Diabetes

If you have or are at risk of diabetes, then daily walking is probably one of the best tools you have at your disposal to fight disease. Not only does it keep in check your blood sugar level but also helps to keep insulin type II diabetes under control. This is because the movement caused by regular brisk walks, help the muscle cells to burn more glucose and thereby keep diabetes within manageable levels. Daily morning walks, when done from the initial stage, have even shown to bring the blood sugar levels, back to normal. So instead of stressing out over it, simply wake up early and go for a nice long walk.

Top 5 Mental Benefits Of Morning Walks

The benefits of morning walks don’t just stop with your physical health, but plays a vital role in improving your mental health as well. Daily morning walks help calm you down, clear your head, bring back focus and provide an excellent start to your day. Continue reading to understand how the benefits of walking, extend to your mental fitness as well!

Mental Benefits of Morning Walks #1: Freshen Up Your Mind

Early morning walks are probably the best start you can give your body and mind. With a lungful of fresh and pure oxygen, you will almost immediately feel refreshed. Throughout the day, we tend to tire not just the body but the mind as well with all the thoughts and worries that we collect. Early morning walks provide the perfect opportunity to clear up our thoughts and regain focus.

Mental Benefits of Morning Walks #2: Keep Depression At Bay

Depression affects one in ten people and is not to be taken lightly. It can even lead to chronic illness. All of us are susceptible to becoming a victim, to the monsters in our head. But the good news is, even the simple act of taking a walk in the morning can help you defeat those monsters.

When we walk, especially at a brisk pace, the body releases a load of endorphins, a natural pain-killer, that generates a feeling of happiness. It also gives you a sense of control that will boost up your control. By putting you back in the driver’s seat, morning walks will help you leave depression far behind.

Mental Benefits of Morning Walks #3: Ease Your Stress

When performed seriously, early morning walks are super stress busters. This means, sweating it out a bit by taking a nice, long brisk walk. As a result, the body releases stress-busting anabolic chemicals. The Stress Bucket Model is a very reliable method to manage your stress levels by creating stress release outlets. In a way, morning walks are a natural happy drug that releases stress, whose only side effect is that you will get a healthy body and mind.

Amazon Audio Books

A great benefit to a morning walk is being able to listen to audio books. Whether its a story you always wanted to read of self help books that motivate your mind. I personally like to listen to podcast that help educated me to become a stronger better version of myself. Amazon are doing free trial on their “Audible” program. Click on the picture below and sign up to your free trial, 1,000 of books covering 100’s of subjects all available to you for free.

Bental Benefits of Morning Walks #4: Sleep Like A Baby

Sleep is essential for the body to repair all the wear and tear it experienced during the day. Without a good night’s sleep, one tends to wake up tired and irritable. Early morning walks give the body the necessary physical workout that tires the body and ensures a sound sleep at night. Studies have even shown that those who exercise early in the day tend to spend almost 75% of their snooze time in deep sleep, compared to those who work out later in the day. So if you wish to sleep tight, you better get up and walk early!

Mental Benefits of Morning Walks #5: Boost Your Brain-Power

Morning walks not only improve the blood circulation but also increases the supply of fresh oxygen to the brain, which increases your mental alertness while also sharpening other mental faculties. Studies have even shown those who suffer from mental illness such as Alzheimer’s to benefit significantly from morning walks. If you are interested in boosting your brainpower, then regular early morning walks, are the smarter way to go.

Apart from the 10 benefits of morning walks that I mentioned above, there are countless other benefits, that causes a substantial improvement to our health as well as lifestyle habits. It is an activity that requires no club memberships or fancy equipment, but just a pair of shoes and the will to start.

Also, being such a simple and natural act, it makes it easy to avoid procrastination. That means morning walks are a perfect route for sedentary forks to get back to working on their physical fitness. It is also an excellent way to start after recovering from an injury or illness. The benefits morning walks are just too many and require relatively so less effort that it would indeed be foolish not to take advantage and just get started with it.

Got some friends who really should be getting off their ass and do some exercise? Share this article with them, and ease them into a healthy lifestyle by first starting with early morning walks. And, if you’ve been putting off plans to start hitting the gym or if you’ve just recovered from an injury or illness, then set an early alarm, wear your shoes, and let your body reap the benefits of morning walks

Keep your feet protected during your morning walks with these highly recommended Hiking Shoes. They are super comfortbale, durable and above all waterproof. These 2 shoes are the highest recommended hiking shows will keep you comfortable on your morning walk. The Columbia Womens and Timberlands Men Waterproof boots.

Timberland Men’s Flume Waterproof Boot