simple life habits

5 Amazing Benefits for Starting an Early Morning Walk [Podcast]

by Jonathan on April 26, 2013

A few years ago I started waking up early and doing a morning walk. For most of my life I have been a night person. I naturally come alive at 10pm. It can even be difficult for me to fall asleep at night because my mind does not shut off.

I know what “silence is deafening” means. I use to find myself battling my mind and the silence in the house in order to fall asleep at night. Once I started an early morning ritual all that began to change.

I was amazed at how many benefits I started enjoying once I made waking up early a habit. Too be honest I have received way more then 5 benefits, but here are a few of the main ones you will experience if you develop the same habit.

There is a lot that I do for my morning success ritual but to keep things short I am going to focus on early morning walking.

5 Amazing Benefits of an Early Morning Walk [Podcast]

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1. An Opportunity to Clear Your Mind - When I first started my morning ritual, I started by jogging in the neighborhood as a way to get my exercise in for the day. However, due to some major lower back pain that I was experiencing I had to slow down my pace.

At first I was very frustrated because I was focused on heart rate and calories burned, but I ended up getting so much more out of the whole experience. I now call it “My Morning Walkabout” and I use it to clear my mind for the day. It is an opportunity for me to go on a walk with God and just talk with Him.

I now get some of my best ideas and solutions to my problems during my morning walkabout. I come back to the house with a clear mind and ready to go after the day.

2. Ability to Stimulate Your Senses – Slowing down caused me to take in the scenery I was experiencing. I am not naturally a sentimental person, but there is something spiritual about the early morning and a sunrise.

Slowing down and taking in the sunrise, the early morning steam off the ponds, and the birds as they start the day is refreshing. It centers your day and helps you take a deep breath before you jump into your hectic paced life.

3. Direct Your Focus for the Day – I also use my morning walkabout as an opportunity to narrow my focus for the day. I am a big believer in focus and momentum. Life today can easily pull you in many directions.

One of the best habits I have formed in recent months is to decide on 1-3 tasks that are MUST DO tasks for the day. I start with the first one as early in the morning as possible and try to create some personal momentum for the day.

I have even started as early as 4:30 am (I know it sounds crazy) and have had all three must tasks accomplished by 7:00am. I cannot begin to describe the rush and the adrenaline hat you feel for the rest of the day. Challenge yourself by using a simple tool called breaking the chain. See how many days in a row you can go without missing. Trying not to break the chain is one of my favorite habit tools.

4. Meditate on Gratitude – I also like to use the morning walkabout to think about everything that is working in my life at the moment.

Aren’t we all guilty at times of sleeping to the last possible moment and then rushing out of the house into our busy, hectic work day? I force myself to rattle off everything that I am grateful for and it always starts my day with a smile.

5. Ability to Fall Right to Sleep at Night – This one was a shocker for me. I know it should be common sense, but by waking up early you actually are tired at night.

Like I mentioned earlier I have always had a difficult time falling asleep at night. My mind is always racing and ideas flow continuously. Once I started waking up early I noticed that I began to sleep better and wanted to go to bed.

There are so many more benefits to starting this habit. I would encourage you to try it for 7 days and write down the benefits that you receive from the experience.

Question: If you walk regularly, what benefits have you received from doing so? Comment below….

Article by Jonathan

Jonathan has been blogging since 2009 and is still in awe that the Creator of the Universe desires to have a relationship with him. His passions include spending time with his kids, reading, March Madness, surprise get-a-way trips with his wife, and watching funny YouTube videos.

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  • http://cde47qu-x6ff3scx1di8umiq--.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=ZHFITNESS Cinderella Doody

    I really enjoyed this article and some good info you discuss. I am one of those people whom try and try to loose weight but just can’t seem to stick to it. I did loose some 50lbs around six months ago but have now put most of it back on again (doh!). I have been warned by the local nurse that I really should loose quite a bit of weight but am again having trouble. I use slimming world at the moment but my good friend Gloria is on the new Fat Burning Furnace diet which she nows swears by. I am going to give it a go – has anybody here given it a go and is it as good as claimed?

  • Pingback: Life Habits: Don’t Break the Chain | Simple Life Habits

  • Prachit

    fabulous…..great article enjoyed it a lot gonna share on my twitter account….i have experienced same things wid my walk…even many more benefits good

    • admin

      Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the article.

  • http://www.carefortheelderly.ie/ Elderly Care

    Nice and interesting Post!!! These types of tips really helpful to maintain the body parts works properly, especially if the elderly person follow these tips. Really informative and thanks for sharing.

    • Jonathan

      Thanks for stopping by.

  • http://www.carehomestoday.co.uk/ Residential Care Homes

    Morning walk is really a good exercise. It will be beneficial for your health. Morning walk increases blood circulation in your body.

  • Sampangisamuel

    Very good information to maintain a good health on a right track.

  • http://www.alldiscountvitamins.com/magnetic-bracelet.aspx magnetic bracelet 

    Thanks for giving such a helpful information regarding benefits of morning walk with us. I want to say that morning walk helps to reduce stress, reduce blood sugar, and it helps in the better activity of immune system and thus gives the body a power to fight against infections.

  • http://www.facebook.com/radheevar.kale Radheevar Kale

    Jonathan, I have also started walking in the morning from two months now, I am 37 years old male, and always wanted to do exercises but I have being living a hectic life, thanks to the economic depression world over :) I cannot tell you the benefits of early morning walk just in simple words, I do not smoke or either consume any drug or alcohol, from the last two months my spirits have been revejuvenated and I find constant push all around the day to concentrate and I am doing my job, I work from home as a Software/Hardware consultant, and along with all other normal day to day activities and I am like enjoying this, I cannot express the huge change that early morning walk brings in to my life. I walk for an hour every day in the morning and I am finding it a great experience, everyday :) I have decided to continue this habit everyday and till the end, and I would like to suggest anyone interested in living a healthy life to create the habit of early morning walks. And you shall never look back and believe me you could have not asked for anything more :)

    • Jonathan Milligan

      This is an awesome testimony. There is something magical that happens when we walk outside. It really has a lot of advantages. Thanks for sharing your story.