By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

A morning walk boosts your physical and mental health and starts your day on a positive note. The health benefits of morning walks extend from your physical health - strengthening your heart and reducing your risk of chronic diseases - to your mental health - improving your mood and combating stress. These health benefits of taking a morning walk are far-reaching. Here are some of the best benefits of morning walks as well as tips from a trainer on how to get started with a walking program:

10 Health Benefits of a Morning Walk

Taking a walk every morning offers many benefits. Walking is an accessible, free exercise and a great way to meet your daily step goal while boosting your mental health. Walking also helps combat the negatve effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Here are 10 benefits of taking a morning walk:

1. Starts your day on a positive note.

A morning walk is one of the best ways to get your body moving and clear your mind before starting the day. If you feel fatigue and lethergy in the mornings, walking can help energize you for the day ahead. Exercises like walking also boost cognitive function.

2. Increases your energy.

Beginning your day with a walk will boost your energy so you’re ready to tackle the day ahead. Walking increases your blood and oxygen flow throughout your body. In addition, it raises your levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones that help elevate your energy levels.

3. Strengthens your heart.

Walking is a great cardiovascular exercise that improves your heart health and lessens your odds of getting many health conditions. Adding walking to your schedule can help lower blood pressure, improve your heart rate while exercising, and reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

By strengthening your heart muscles, your heart can beat more efficiently, which means you are boosting your heart’s longevity and allowing your body to function well with fewer heartbeats.

4. Builds strong bones.

Walking is a weight-bearing exercise that helps improve your bone density without the high impact of some activities (such as running). Going for a morning walk as part of your daily routine can also help slow down bone loss that comes with age. Walking helps prevent injuries and bone conditions such as osteoporosis. In addition, researchers say long-term brisk walking helps prevent bone loss in premenopausal women.

5. Strengthens your muscles.

Regular walking boosts your muscle strength and endurance, which can help you perform better in athletics, prevent injuries, and allow you to function well during daily activities. The primary muscles you’ll strengthen by walking include your leg muscles - calves, quadriceps, and hamstrings, glute muscles, hip adductors, and core muscles. These large muscle groups help your body balance and perform daily tasks.

6. Improves your mood.

If you struggle with stress, anxiety, or depression, a morning walk is a great way to boost your mood. Walking helps combat stress and increases circulation to your brain, boosting your brain health. In addition, going for a walk promotes the release of endorphins that make you feel good, including “happy” hormones and adrenaline, your body’s mood-boosting chemical.

According to researchers, walking increases serotonin in your brain, which puts you in a better mood and reduces symptoms of depression.

7. Helps you sleep.

A morning stroll gives you more energy to conquer the day and can help you get a good night's sleep. This is because walking produces hormones that improve sleep. According to numerous studies, walking can improve your sleep cycle quality, allowing you to rest better at night.

8. Improves memory.

Regular walking can improve your cognitive function. According to researchers, walking boosts the white matter in our brains, which is responsible for memory. People who walked regularly for six months had better memory functioning than those who were sedentary.

In addition, since Alzheimer’s disease and dementia rates continue to rise, walking is a useful preventative tool that can slow down brain decline that comes with aging.

9. Helps with weight management.

Walking is accessible for most people and is an effective way to help with weight loss or weight management. Whether you’re under your doctor’s orders to get more active and lose weight or you want to maintain a healthy weight, walking can help.

Walking burns calories, which helps with weight loss and maintenance. For example, if you walk briskly for 30 minutes every morning, you can burn about 150 extra calories per day (the exact amount you burn depends on your weight and metabolism). In addition, walking can help reduce body fat while boosting lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories than fat tissue.

10. Eases joint pain.

Walking is a low impact form of exercise that can reduce joint pain. Regular walks can ease arthritis pain as well as prevent arthritis. According to Harvard Health, walking protects your joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them.

The low-impact activity of walking also puts less pressure on your joints than other forms of cardio exercise such as running.

Tips to Start Walking

If you’re ready to start a walking program, here are some tips from my experience as a trainer:

Start gradually. As with any exercise program, building your fitness slowly is best. Start with shorter walks and add a few minutes every 3 days until you reach your goal walk lengths.
Dress comfortably. If you’re walking outside, dress for the weather. Wear moisture-wicking layers, and don’t forget sunscreen and a hat for protection from the sun.
Set a step goal. See our article on Recommended Steps Per Day by Age for guidelines to help you set the best step goal.
Enlist support. Walk with a friend, partner, or your dog for good company and accountability.
Track your progress. Use a fitness tracker or step counter to monitor your walk progress. You can also easily track your distance using a treadmill or walking on a track.
Celebrate your milestones. When you accomplish a new walking goal, celebrate your progress. Look at how far you’ve come from when you started, and enjoy your success.

Have you tried morning walks? Tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your workouts and get cheered on. And get our free Wellness Wednesday newsletter for weekly fitness tips and encouragement to keep you going. Happy walking to you! 😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

10 Morning Walk Health Benefits + Tips to Start