The Power of ‘Early’ Walks
We all want quick fixes to improve our health, and here is one that can have significant impact on our physical AND mental health: ‘early’ walks.
I used to struggle to get out of bed in the mornings. Precision planning meant the alarm was set to leave me just enough time to exit the house and be at my desk in time. During the winter months, days could go by with me seeing very little daylight.
Having Jess, my beloved labrador, then meant I needed to change my routine. She was not going to take “no” for an answer! It has meant that I have been up and out of the house much earlier than ever before. I won’t lie – some days it has been tough to pull myself out from under the duvet, but almost without exception, I do not regret it.
There have been many studies about the impact of morning light, and how getting outside as close to your waking time as possible, even just for five minutes, can change your whole body. Exposure to sunlight causes brain changes, increasing your level of serotonin, the brain chemical that boosts your mood - a natural mood booster, and one of the chemicals that anti-depressants boost. From the moment you open your eyes in the morning, sensors at the back of your eyes detect light and send a signal to the tiny area within your brain’s hypothalamus that controls your body clock – your body’s natural sleep/wake cycle.
Sunlight also stops the brain making melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel tired; so, it literally wakes you up during the day. Daylight is so powerful it can reset brain chemistry, and perhaps change your daily outlook.
Morning light can also regulate your circadian rhythm, your body’s natural clock that tells it when to wake up and when to go to sleep. And the act of being outside first thing in the morning has also been linked to enhanced mood and improved mental health. In fact, studies show that just opening a window next to your bed when you first wake up to soak up some of that morning light can help.
But what of the ‘early’ walks? Any form of walking is good, but going in the morning alerts your brain that the day has started. It also sets your body clock, so you know when to go to sleep. It brings your body clock forward, so you are ready to sleep at night.
Your internal clock runs at just a little bit longer than 24 hours. An early walk means you reset your internal clock. In winter, when the days are shorter with less daylight , it throws your rhythm out of sync. In some people, this can lead to low mood and depression. We can feel very tired and groggy.
Studies suggest that walking at a brisk pace increases the impact of walking by up to 50%. By brisk, it should be at a rate where you can talk but not sing!
Could you make the time for a walk in the morning? It should be within two hours of when you would normally get up. It has made a marked impact on me. It has improved my wellbeing and positive thinking during the day. I’m also sleeping much better at night – I fall asleep quicker and I wake up less during the night. It has been quite transformational for me.
