When you wake up in the morning, exercise may not be a priority, but starting your day with a walk - whether it's in the neighborhood, part of the way to work, or at the gym - can offer a number of health benefits.

Do you feel lazy about waking up early to go for a walk? We have listed seven reasons that will change your mind:

Increases energy

Starting the day with a walk can give you more energy throughout the day - especially when walking outdoors.

Studies by the Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology at the University of Rochester in the United States have shown that adults who walked for 20 minutes outdoors experienced more vitality and energy than those who walked for 20 minutes indoors.

Other research from the University of Georgia, also in the United States, found that 10 minutes of walking on the stairs was more energizing than a cup of coffee for 18 sleep-deprived women.

Read also: 8 reasons to exercise first thing in the morning

Improves mood

There are also physiological benefits to walking in the morning. A walk can help to:

• Improve self-esteem;

• Increasing the mood;

• Reduce stress;

• Decrease anxiety;

• Avoid fatigue;

• Relieve the symptoms of depression or reduce the risk of depression.

For best results, try walking for 20 to 30 minutes at least five days a week .

Helps you lose weight

Walking in the morning can help you reach your weight loss goal. Walking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes can burn up to 150 calories. Combined with a healthy diet and strength training, walking helps you lose weight.

Strengthens muscles

Walking can help strengthen your leg muscles. For best results, walk at a moderate to fast pace. Try changing your routine and climb stairs, go up and down hills, or walk on an incline on a treadmill.

Increases concentration

A morning walk may help improve mental clarity and ability to concentrate throughout the day. A recent study from the School of Human Sciences at the University of Western in Perth, Australia, found that among older adults, those who started the day with a morning walk improved their cognitive function, compared to those who remained sedentary.

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Improves sleep

Early walking may help you sleep better at night. A 2017 study from the Tokyo College of Science and Technology in Japan looked at seniors aged 55 to 65 who were having trouble falling asleep or living with mild insomnia.

Those who walked in the morning versus at night experienced better sleep quality. More research is needed to determine why morning exercise may be better for sleep than evening exercise.

Helps you make healthy choices throughout the day

Starting the day with a walk can boost healthier choices throughout the day. The day has started on the right foot, and you will think twice before swapping the salad for a hamburger - you don't want to waste the effort of having woken up early to then eat something fatty.