Are Mornings the Best Time to Take a Walk?
Hey Angels and Alphas,
We can all agree that, whether we’re talking about weight loss or just overall health, walking is one of those exercise types you really can’t go wrong with. And whether you have a structured walking program or you’re just walking 10 minutes to your office in the morning, a walk can do wonders for your health and your body.
The specific time of day when we choose to take a walk will depend largely on our schedule and our preferences. That being said, it turns out that walking in the morning might be especially beneficial for some people.
Today, we’re here to explain the advantages of getting your walk in first thing in the morning – backed by science.
#1 – IT HELPS YOU STAY ACTIVE LATER ON IN THE DAY
Most often, when we’re talking about reaching our goals, it’s just a matter of creating and maintaining a certain momentum. If you’re getting your walk in first thing in the morning, you’re guaranteed to create that physical momentum. Or, in other words, if you’ve already taken 10,000 steps by the time lunch rolls around, you’re more likely to keep that trend going throughout the day and hit those big step numbers you’re chasing.
#2 – YOU’RE ACTUALLY MORE LIKELY TO GET IT DONE
Typically, the earlier you exercise, the better. One of the biggest pros of an early morning walk is the ability to check it off your mental checklist. The more the day progresses, the more distractions and potential detours you’re going to face. If you want to be confident that you’ll consistently make time for your walk, a morning walk is the best option for you.
#3 – IT OPTIMIZES YOUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
You can think of your circadian rhythm as your body’s inner clock. Your circadian rhythm tells you when it’s time to be awake and alert, as well as when it’s time to go to sleep. When you spend a lot of time looking at screens, like most of us do, it’s likely that your circadian rhythm can be, well, off-rhythm. When you receive natural sunlight first thing in the morning, this will trigger your brain to become more alert and then further reset your circadian rhythm to its normal functioning.
Not to mention, research shows us that walking in the morning can further optimize your circadian rhythm and help people who have a hard time falling asleep at night. Just like when your body temperature naturally starts dropping and preparing your body for sleep, so does the opposite happen – when you exercise, your body temperature increases. This means it’s possible to increase your body temperature early in the morning and affect your circadian rhythm in a positive way.
#4 – YOU WILL HAVE MORE ENERGY
Thanks to the endorphins that get released when you’re training, walking can become a much-needed energy booster in the morning. It doesn’t have to be an all-out, high-intensity workout. A moderate, 20-minute walk can also get the job done – and get it done well.
#5 – IT HELPS BOOST CREATIVITY
As you’re exercising, blood flow will naturally increase all throughout your body. And that includes your brain. This increased blood flow will not only cut down the risk of vascular and degenerative diseases, but it will also improve your creativity and allow your brain to function at a much higher level.
Here’s a Stanford study that discovered that walking can boost your creative output by as much as 60 percent.
If you’ve ever had one of those “eureka” moments as you’re in the middle of a walk, this might actually be the reason. In psychology, it’s pretty well-known that taking time away (such as when walking) can help improve problem-solving abilities and allow you to solve complex problems.
In this aspect, walking actually might have a bigger advantage than other types of exercise. It’s easy to just let your mind wander as you’re walking, whereas if you’re doing an intense HIIT session, you’re pretty much focused on your training.
#6 IT WILL HELP YOU LOSE MORE WEIGHT
Various studies out there have been performed to tackle this question – does walking early in the morning help you lose more weight? And the answer seems to be a yes. Not just because walking early in the morning allows you to stay active for the rest of the day, but also because previous research has shown that early-morning exercise curbs the risk of cravings, improves your metabolism, lowers your appetite, prevents overeating, and therefore… helps you lose weight.
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