Our bodies are magnificent things, sometimes we don’t realize that our whole experience of each day depends a lot on how our bodies feel, if they are well-fed, rested, hydrated, and exercised.
Maybe we tend to think of ‘exercise’ as intense and technical activity, meant to achieve the health and figure we dream of through putting in a lot of work, discipline, and determination, and it is no secret that it brings a lot of great benefits both for your body and your mind. But as matter of fact, all of those great benefits can be obtained through an activity that is truly underrated because of its simplicity and can be so easily integrated into your daily routine that you could almost not believe it.
That’s right: the morning walk.
A good morning walk tends to start and end with feeling good. It is such a pleasurable moment in your day that you will probably grow fond of it by the first time you try it and start looking forward to it each day, maybe even from the night before. That’s what makes it an excellent way of starting your day because the mindset we put ourselves into during the first few hours in the morning will determine our mood for the rest of the day. Feeling motivated and excited, or even just calm and stable knowing that the first thing you will do the next day is an activity that brings you joy and that is also great for your health, is an incredible and fairly impactful benefit that you get from the very beginning… even before you start doing it!
Another of the advantages that makes it so adjustable to your lifestyle is time.
A morning walk can be an hour or two, or just five quick minutes. Experts reveal that the ideal amount of time according to some studies is 20 to 30 minutes each day, for 5 or more days a week. Consistency brings much better results of course, but remember, it is not meant to be just a task to accomplish perfectly, the actual goal is for you to take some time to be fully present and enjoy yourself.
Because even when the muscles, bones, and organs in our bodies certainly need movement to function accordingly and it is -as we said- an actual exercise routine, the enjoyment of walking early in the morning and experiencing it fully is key for physical and psychological relaxation, which brings us to another pivotal merit of morning walks: it is great for your mental health.
When we treat ourselves with a pleasant walk, our brains generate many hormones that help us stay in mental shape, reduce stress, get more creative, treat anxiety and depression, boost your immunity system, get better sleep, more energy to start our daily routine and give us the mental clarity to have resilience and be in a good mood through the day.
Here are some examples: Dopamine to reduce stress and depression, Serotonin for a good resting sleep and boosts your mood, Testosterone to gain strength and muscle mass, and Estrogen to stabilize our emotions and reduce symptoms of menopause.
Creativity and social skills are also some of the qualities boosted by this seemingly so-common activity, alongside premature aging prevention and many more.
It’s easy to set up in the morning to take some time for an early stroll, here are some recommendations to help you get into the habit.
- Set your mood! Put on your favorite playlist or podcast, wear something that you like.
- Wear preferably comfortable clothes, try to set them up the night before so you don’t have to spend much time before going out. Organization boost motivation!
- Do some stretching before and after, it will help you to relax and start liberating hormones.
- Try to change the route from time to time, explore new places. That keeps it interesting and fun and is also a perfect exercise for your mental skills.
Remember! The goal is to stay healthy, but most importantly, to enjoy!
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