Introduction
Stress has become a widely experienced problem in our generation. In this stressful world where everybody lives in their own fears and beliefs, it’s important to understand how you should tackle it. Finding some effective methods for stress relief is crucial. Morning walk and meditation are such practices which will help you in stress management.
So today in this article, we will learn the important benefits of morning walk and meditation for stress management and how efficiently you can combine them for better stress relief.
Benefits Of Morning Walk For Stress Relief:
Morning walk is a habit that helps to benefit both our physical and mental health. Here we will discuss some vital benefits of morning walk for stress relief:
Boosts Mood
A small morning walk session can help you to boost your mood for the rest of the day. The morning sunlight helps to produce serotonin, which is a natural mood booster that regulates our mood, behaviour, and memory. Like this, morning walk helps to alleviate stress and set a positive tone for the day.
Increases Energy Levels
Morning walks are a kind of magical walk which makes your body provide more oxygen and nutrients which results in increased levels of energy in the body. It improves circulation, and helps you to regulate your mood and feel refreshed and energised throughout the day. Overall, increased energy levels help to manage stress better and give you a stress-free mind.
Improves Sleep Quality
Having a proper sleep is necessary for stress relief. Having some physical exercises during the morning walk session adds value to the quality sleep. It regulates your body’s circadian rhythm which is responsible for having better sleep at night.
If you take proper sleep then you will automatically feel energy and refreshment the next day which will boost productivity and help in better stress management.
Reduces Anxiety And Depression
Anxiety and Depression is a leading mental health issue in modern society. If you are facing such critical mental health issues, then a little morning walk can help you to deal with it. The sunlight reduces the symptoms and depression and anxiety because it circulates happy hormones in our body.
Some physical activity also helps to release endorphins which is again a natural painkiller and mood elevator that will boost your mood. If you practise regular morning walks, then you will notice a sense of calm in your mind and it will ease the stress.
Benefits Of Meditation For Stress Relief
Meditation is a scientifically proven technique for stress relief. It has been practised for several decades and offers numerous benefits to mind and body. Here are some benefits of meditation for stress relief:
Reduces Cortisol Levels
The hormone which is responsible for stress is known as Cortisol. The person who practises meditation seems to have lower cortisol levels in their brain. It proves that meditation reduces cortisol levels which reduces stress and anxiety.
Improves Emotional Regulation
While meditation has numerous benefits, one of the benefits is emotional regulation. It helps to enhance emotional regulation by promoting awareness and mindfulness about thoughts and feelings. Along with mindfulness techniques, people become self-aware and it helps them to manage stress efficiently and mindfully.
Boost Focus And Concentration
Meditation is a practice which can boost your focus and concentration. A focused mind is automatically less overwhelmed by stress. It helps you to stay calm in stressful situations. Through meditation, one can improve their mental well-being and find answers to the questions of self-inquiry.
Enhances Self-Awareness
Meditation makes you self-aware and forms a deeper connection within oneself. The increased awareness about yourself and surroundings helps to recognise the stress triggers more efficiently and helps to find solutions to cope with it..
The mind and body releases several good hormones during meditation which helps you to reset and get back to your work by reducing stress.
Combining Meditation And Morning Walk For Enhanced Stress Relief
When we combine two great things, something stronger always comes out, just like that combining morning walk and meditation have incredible benefits. Where meditation is used for awareness and morning walk is used to have some extra activity, combining both have resulted better stress relief outprints:
Enhanced Relaxation
Combining morning walk and meditation gives a greater sense of relaxation and peace. Walking in nature is followed by our ancients and that’s why we are biologically made to get peace in nature. Morning walk with meditation can give you a sense of calmness. Anybody can practise this technique for better stress management.
Mindful Walking
Meditation is not always like sitting in the same posture for hours, it is for mindfulness and awareness. When you combine morning walk with a sense of awareness of what’s going around and where you are in the present moment, it will allow you to feel relaxed and better. Your mind will be centred and it reduces stress.
To practise mindful walking, you should focus on your breath and the feel of touch of ground and become aware of whatever you are around with, either in the physical or mental world. You can hear the sounds and focus on breath. This technique will give incredible benefits on stress management.
Setting Intentions
We all should maintain the to-do list of the day for a clear and positive attitude and you can utilise your morning walk sessions with setting intentions. It will help to remain stress free throughout the day.
Alternate Meditation And Walking
This practice has been used by high level meditators for a long period of time. Here you alternate between walking and meditation.
This meditation technique is also known as still meditation where you walk and then take a pause for a moment and feel the nature, sound, and everything around you while your eyes are closed or open. This meditation will help you to focus on your breath, and feel calmness throughout the day.
Contraindications for Morning Walk
Morning walks are generally safe for everybody but still it’s important to understand the contraindications of morning walk. Hence, here we have three major contraindications or demerits of morning walk:
Mobility Issues Or Severe Joint Pain
It’s logical that if you are physically not fit, then small walkins can also cause danger to your bones and health. People with severe joint pain should avoid morning walk because it may even worsen the symptoms.
At this point of time, one should consider serious medical help instantly. Other mobility issues can also be a threat to morning walks.
Certain Medical Conditions
If someone is suffering from certain medical conditions like blood pressure and bad heart conditions, then they should seek immediate help from professionals before starting morning walks.
Extreme Weather Conditions
The quality of morning walks also depend on weather conditions. Extreme heat and cold weather could cause adverse effects on your body. One should also avoid walking in pollution because it can be harmful for your health.
If the weather is somewhat like that, then you can consider indoor walking or engaging in other activities for a mental boost and avoid walking outdoors.
Contraindications For Meditation
Meditation is the safest practice one should perform for stress management, but it is also essential to understand its potential side-effects:
Severe Mental Health Conditions
People with severe mental health conditions like depression and psychosis should take guided meditation sessions from qualified therapists.
Trauma Or PTSD
In the starting part of meditation, people with trauma or PTSD may feel triggered by distressing memories and thoughts. It’s not easy to handle your thoughts while meditating, but one should just become aware that thoughts are coming and going.
If you are suffering from Trauma Or PTSD, then it would be helpful to take guided meditation from therapists or professionals.
Physical Discomfort And Pain
Meditation should be easy and effortless practice. If you are facing physical discomfort or pain during the meditation session, then you can change your meditating posture or reduce the meditation timing.
Conclusion
So here we have all the details regarding meditation and morning walk. We have studied its benefits and side-effects, and how you could utilise both for a better stress relief. Incorporating meditation with a morning walk can help you to reduce stress and feel better than before.
Always remember to take proper healthcare guidance from professionals to avoid any contraindications of meditation and morning walks. Get a balanced and stress-free day by practising such activities, and have a fulfilling day.
