Take more morning walks to take care of your mind | The Triangle

Take more morning walks to take care of your mind

Photograph by Alex Pachkowski for The Triangle

One of the most crucial lessons co-op has taught me is that going on a morning walk is something that I should have been doing for a while now. I’ve come to discover that the feeling of being outside with the sun’s rays on me just a little after waking up is something that I enjoy a great deal, and I feel that it is something everyone should try to incorporate into their mornings, if possible.

I’ve found that being outside early improves my general mood throughout the rest of the day, especially if it’s a weekday when I have work. It helps make sure that I am fully awake as well, because generally speaking, I’m not fully awake when I first get out of bed. It takes me a bit to fully get going, and I’m sure other people experience the same feeling.

Going out for a walk in the morning gets your body active, and that alone is sometimes enough to fully wake a person up. It is also a great way to get exercise. You don’t have to walk to a gym or get on a treadmill, and it’s completely free of cost. You also get the added benefit of a nice view depending on where your walk takes you.

Going on a morning walk does more than just wake you up and provide exercise. One of the most important reasons that I do it is because it gives me lots of time to think. If you’re the kind of person who’s always lost in their thoughts, then going on a morning walk may be just the thing for you. For me, I find that I’m able to think more clearly when I’m out on a morning walk, so give it a try and see if it works for you as well.

Something else that a morning walk is great for is de-stressing. I can’t think of many better ways to de-stress than to wake up at a reasonable time, put on a pair of headphones or earbuds and go for a walk. It’s the same thing as when people sometimes just go for a drive, and it really does do wonders.

If you’re currently on co-op and you drive, ride a bike or skateboard, or take some form of public transportation, then I would suggest picking a day where you walk to work. I know it sounds like a hassle, and I can completely understand not wanting to walk, especially when it is cold outside and your job is far away, but I still think you should try it at least once to see if it’s for you.

If you’re taking classes, I suggest mapping out a route to walk in the morning before your first class starts. It may sound nice to stay in bed and take the extra hour or so of sleep, but you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. After all, this article is just my way of encouraging you to go out and try something new. It’s up to you to actually go out and do it.