Maintaining a healthy body can be done by starting to adopt a healthy lifestyle, one of which is exercising regularly. Of the many sports activities, morning walking could be one option because it is suitable for everyone regardless of fitness level. Morning walks are even safe for pregnant women.
The benefits of walking in the morning are varied. Apart from being good for the heart and helping you lose weight, regularly walking in the morning will also keep your skin healthy and your mood maintained, so it’s good for your mental health.
Benefits of walking in the morning
Starting from helping you lose weight to reducing stress, here are a number of benefits of walking in the morning.
1. Provides energy
Several studies show that adults who take a morning walk for 20 minutes outside get more energy than people who walk for 20 minutes indoors.
If you feel tired when you wake up, try taking a morning walk outside the house to recharge your energy.
2. Fulfill the obligation to do physical activity
Healthy adults are advised to do at least 150-300 minutes of light physical activity a week.
These needs can be divided into 5 days with 30 minutes each day for a morning walk.
3. Repair mood
There are also benefits from a morning walk from a psychological perspective. This activity is considered capable of improving self-esteemimprove mood, and reduce stress and anxiety.
Not only that, morning walks are also considered useful for reducing symptoms of depression and reducing the risk of developing depression.
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4. Strengthens the heart
Walking is a cardio activity. So, if you do it regularly every day for at least 30 minutes, your heart will be healthier and at risk Coronary heart disease will also be reduced by up to 19 percent.
The benefits of walking for the heart will be increasingly felt if you slowly increase the walking distance according to your ability.
5. Lose weight
Don’t miss the benefits of walking in the morning for 30 minutes for those of you who are on a diet to get thin quickly.
Morning walks can indirectly help you lose weight, you know. Because, this activity can burn up to 150 calories.
However, you need to accompany it with a healthy diet and other physical activities to achieve your ideal body weight.
6. Strengthens bones and joints
Walking is an exercise that supports body weight. Therefore, this activity is useful in maintaining bone strength and preventing osteoporosis.
Another benefit is that it helps protect the joints in the knees and hips, precisely by lubricating the joints and strengthening the surrounding muscles.
7. Forms thigh muscles
Did you know that taking a leisurely walk in the morning can strengthen and shape your thigh muscles?
Try taking a leisurely walk uphill or on a route with stairs to train your thigh muscles.
It would be even better if you combine it with other endurance sports, for example squat and lunges.
8. Helps with daily routines
Starting the day with a morning walk will help you carry out the activities you want to do. After a morning walk, your mind will usually be clearer, so you can go about your day calmly, without rushing.
Apart from that, regularly walking in the morning will also help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and be inspired to prepare a healthy breakfast.
9. Lower blood sugar levels
There are benefits of walking in the morning that you can get if you do it after eating, namely helping to lower blood sugar levels and reducing insulin resistance if done regularly.
A research A small scale study found that walking for 15 minutes after breakfast, lunch and dinner had the potential to have a greater effect on improving blood sugar levels, compared to walking for 45 minutes at a time in the elderly.
10. Increases immunity
Morning walks are also considered useful for increasing the body’s immunity in fighting minor illnesses, for example coughcolds, and flu.
Based on a Education involving 1002 adults, people who regularly walked for 30-45 minutes every day for 12 weeks had up to 43 percent less time sick, compared to those who never exercised.
Even if they are sick, people who walk regularly are reported to recover faster.
11. Improves mood
There are also benefits of walking in the morning in improving your mood. According to various studies, walking is considered to help relieve anxiety, depression and bad mood.
Not only that, morning walks are also believed to increase self-confidence.
To get this benefit, try walking for 30 minutes three times a week.
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12. Helps achieve new ideas
A Education also mentioned that walking helps to get new creative ideas.
In this study, experts found that creative ideas emerged when research participants walked outside the home.
13. Prevent Alzheimer’s
Quoted from WebMD, a study of men aged 71-93 years found that walking more than a quarter mile or about 400 meters every day, had benefits in reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The key is to remain consistent even if it only lasts for a short time. This habit can provide great benefits to the body and mind.
14. Healthy for pregnant women
The benefits of walking in the morning for pregnant women are quite amazing. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), walking and other light exercise during pregnancy can reduce the risk of pregnancy disorders, such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and giving birth via cesarean section.
Here are some Other benefits of walking for pregnant women:
- Strengthens strong muscles to reduce back pain.
- Helps keep the digestive organs moving to combat constipation.
- Helps maintain healthy weight gain during pregnancy.
- Maintain or improve fitness during pregnancy.
- Maintains the function of the heart, lungs and blood vessels.
- Improves mood.
- Reduces aches and pains in pregnant women.
Post-pregnancy weight can also be reduced if these good habits are continued after giving birth.
15. Makes skin look healthier
Exercise can help improve blood flow in the body, which directly increases the intake of oxygen and nutrients to all cells, including the skin. Blood flow also helps remove waste substances including free radicals from the body. When blood circulation is smooth, the skin will also be healthier and brighter.
Then, because a morning walk can relieve stress, this activity can also make your skin healthier because research shows that the sebaceous glands that produce oil in the skin are influenced by stress hormones.
When stress levels decrease, excess oil production will also decrease, so skin conditions such as acne and eczema can subside.
Tips for morning walks
To get the benefits of walking in the morning, of course you have to know how to motivate yourself to actively move in the morning. Here are tips you can try to make this sport fun.
1. Pay attention to the duration
How long is a morning walk good for health? Actually, there is no specific time limit for those of you who want to exercise in the morning. However, it is recommended that you walk in the morning for 30 minutes every day.
If you are still a beginner, you might want to try a shorter duration of exercise, such as 15 minutes every day. Also adjust how far you walk. Once you get used to it, you can increase the walking distance and exercise time each day according to your body’s capabilities.
2. While listening to music
Listening to music or podcast while A leisurely walk can also increase enthusiasm when walking.
Apart from that, music can provide rhythm to the feet so that they move more stably.
3. Take an interesting route
Choose an interesting route to take on your morning walk. For example, passing through a beautiful city park or busy center.
4. Fill your stomach first
Avoid going for a morning walk on an empty stomach. You can start walking after eating a snack or drinking a healthy drink to increase your energy.
Here are some snacks that you can consume before your morning walk.
- Coffee
- Fruit juice without sugar
- Banana
- Toasted wheat bread with peanut butter
- Small portion oatmeal
After your morning walk, you are also allowed to have breakfast. However, make sure not to overeat at breakfast, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
