Incredible health benefits of a morning walk

A 30-minute walk in the morning can change your life! Especially if you suffer from a series of diseases related to lifestyle, such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, etc. A morning walk is easy for the joints and the heart, and the fresh morning air can help calm the nerves, improve mood and keep you energetic and positive for the rest of the day. Simply buy a pair of walking shoes and take a walk in the nearby park. Because a 30-minute morning walk equals 2 hours of gymnastics! But why should you walk alone in the morning? Well, this is what science has to say …

The morning hours have the least amount of air pollution. Fresh air has plenty of oxygen, along with other gases. When you inhale oxygen, it is delivered to the cells, which use it to perform all functions. When your body is functioning properly, the chances of suffering various diseases decrease.

Second, the morning air is rich in negative ions and oxygen has a negative charge. So, the more negative ions, the more oxygen, and the better it is for you to breathe that fresh air. These negative ions or oxygen in the air will help you feel rejuvenated and have a pleasant mental state (1). In fact, when you go to a forest or near a beach or waterfall, the air is cooler and cooler because it is charged with negative ions in these places. That’s why we always feel better after returning from a vacation. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could get used to walking in the morning and inhaling as much air as possible?

Now, the most important part: motivation. See the next section to motivate yourself every morning to get out of bed and take a relaxing morning walk.

1. Lowers The Risk Of Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent lifestyle-related diseases these days. But you can tame this metabolic disorder if you walk in the morning. According to research, a 30-minute morning walk can help improve blood sugar control and insulin control in type II diabetes (2). It allows muscle cells to use more glucose, helps burn body fat that is not necessary, and also helps improve body mass index (BMI). This immensely benefits diabetics.

2. Strengthens The Heart

If you have heart problems, it may not be a good idea to run. But you can walk! The American Heart Association says that walking fast can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke (3). Studies have shown that walking every morning for about 30 minutes can help reduce blood pressure. You can strengthen your heart and control your blood pressure when you make morning walks a part of your daily routine (4). Morning walks can also reduce triacylglycerol levels and prevent hypertension.

3. Aids Weight Loss

Obesity is one of the main causes of many deaths and diseases. And the main reason to be obese is the sedentary lifestyle you lead. If you think you need to lose weight or your doctor has suggested that you lose weight, you can start walking. It will be easy for your heart and you will train without feeling exhausted. There is nothing like a quick walk of 30 to 40 minutes daily to help you. It helps raise the heart rate and burn calories that are essential for losing weight. Experts say you can lose weight in a healthy way without changing your diet by walking every day, along with other moderate and vigorous exercises (5). The researchers also performed walking experiments on obese patients and found that walking can help you lose weight by reducing overall body fat and improving flexibility and muscle strength (6), (7).

4. Prevents Strokes

As mentioned earlier, fast morning walks help keep your heart strong and healthy. According to research conducted by the University of South Carolina, brisk walking for half an hour five times a week helps reduce the risk of strokes (10). In addition, it has been shown that people who maintain a regular fitness regimen that includes fast morning walks reduce their chances of having a stroke by 40% than people who are not physically active. A quick walk through the neighborhood is all you need to keep fit and keep the strokes at bay!

5. Controls Cholesterol

The body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to maintain optimal health and build cell membranes. However, there is an increased risk of heart problems when there is an excessive amount of lipids in the blood, especially when they are in the form of LDL cholesterol. At the same time, low amounts of HDL can also be harmful. Following an active lifestyle and including activities such as walking is a great way to ensure that cholesterol levels in your body are regulated (11), (12), (13).

6. Relieves Depression

One in ten people suffer from depression, and it is not something to laugh at. Depression results in many other disorders and even leads to the death of young people and adults. But the good news is that if you can get up and go for a walk, you can slowly tame the demons in your head. That’s because when you walk, natural analgesic endorphins flow properly throughout the body. Patients suffering from depression discovered that walking fast every day for 35 to 60 minutes had a significant improvement in their condition 16. An article published in Scientific American confirms that 200 minutes of walking per week can make you feel more energetic and positive (17).

7. Fights And Protects From Cancer

According to experts, morning walks help keep different types of cancer at bay. They claim that many people develop cancer due to boring or hectic lifestyles. Morning walks give you the exercise you need, better immunity and a breath of fresh air too. Several studies have confirmed that walking helps prevent ovarian, breast, kidney and cervical cancers (18), (19), (20). In fact, walking can also improve sleep in cancer patients (21). To make sure you are safe from cancer, go for a walk very day and keep your body and mind healthy.

8. Enhances Brain Function

Did you know that regular exercise, such as walking, can help protect memory and improve thinking skills (22)? Morning walks do more than rejuvenate the body. They have the same positive effect on the mind too. When walking, the supply of oxygen and blood to the brain accelerates, and this, in turn, leads to an improvement in mental alertness, brain function and memory (23). In addition, walking helps increase brain volume and improves brain function in the elderly (24). Take a regular walk every morning to keep your brain functioning properly at all times.

9. Tones The Body

Simply shedding fat is not enough if you want to look slim and toned. Walking is an excellent option to get a fabulously toned body without having to do strenuous exercises. A quick walk in the morning can help restore muscle tone (25). You can tone your legs, belly and other parts of your body. Walking daily can also define the muscles of the calves, buttocks and quadriceps. Forget about joining a gym! Make the morning walk to get a perfectly toned body.

10. Lowers Risk Of Miscarriages

Pregnant women can benefit greatly from enjoying exercises such as swimming and regular walks, especially in the morning (26). Erratic hormone levels cause changes in the body, which walking can help moderate. Walking also helps prevent gestational diabetes that is quite common among pregnant women. It also provides protection against uterine contractions, which often result in a miscarriage, an occurrence caused by hormonal changes in the body.

11. Improves Lung Capacity

The oxidation reaction ratio in your body’s cells can be significantly increased with a walk. However, these reactions cause a high demand for oxygen supply that causes the lungs to pump additional oxygen. This, in turn, helps the lungs improve their capacity. In order for your lungs to function properly and to ensure your health, it is a good idea to start brisk walking for 20 minutes every morning (32).

12. Keeps Stress Away

Morning walks are a great way to relieve stress. Stress can have an adverse effect on your body, making you sick more easily and causing depression, anxiety, etc. Walking improves blood circulation to the brain and helps raise mood (33). An energetic morning walk can make you feel more relaxed and calm.

13. Makes Skin Glow

Dermatologists suggest that any exercise that improves blood circulation gives your skin a healthy glow (34). And there is no better exercise than walking. It helps delay the appearance of the signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. Proper blood circulation also prevents pimples, acne and other skin problems. With morning walks, you can achieve naturally radiant skin.

14. Promotes Healthy Hair

Ask your doctor, and he will tell you that being active has an important role to play in good hair health. Walking helps keep hormones in your body well balanced. It also improves blood circulation, which works wonders for the health of your hair. It promotes healthy hair growth and also prevents hair loss. To get beautiful and shiny hair, try to go for a walk every morning.

15. Slows Down Aging

As you get older, the ends or tails of the chromosomes, known as telomeres, begin to shorten. And since the chromosome is nothing more than DNA, which encodes several proteins, a shorter DNA would mean less protein, which ultimately leads to loss of function and aging. Walking is a low-intensity physical activity that helps keep all cellular and healthy heart functions active, and improves brain function and blood circulation. As your body remains active, the shortening of the telomere ends slows down. This means that its aging process slows down (38) (39).

Useful walking tips–

If you are thinking of making morning walks a regular part of your daily routine, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Always keep your posture straight while walking. This will help you, especially if you are trying to tone your abs.
2. The early morning walks are the best, since your body is energized and increases blood circulation. It also gives your body the opportunity to absorb vitamin D from the first rays of the sun.
3. If you want to lose a few extra pounds, an energetic morning walk every day is just what you need. When you walk fast, you burn more calories.
4. Avoid going for a walk after eating, as exercising after a meal affects the flow of digestive juices, which prevents proper breakdown of food.
5. It is better not to drink too much water while walking briskly, as it can damage the respiratory system. Experts recommend keeping your body hydrated before starting your walk or 5 minutes after it is over.
6. If you just start to make the walks a regular exercise, start at a pace that you feel comfortable with and slowly increase as the days go by. This ensures that you don’t exercise your body too much from the beginning.