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Morning or mid-day walking? Here’s the research on the benefits of both

Walking in the morning or the afternoon provides specific health benefits.

By Steph Green Published October 22, 2025

Morning or evening walking? Here’s the research on the benefits of both — Lukas Heinlein / Pexels

Of course, walking in the morning, throughout the day, or in the evening is good news for your health. Any amount of walking is better than none at all, especially when compared to staying sedentary. If you work a desk job or one that involves a lot of sitting, stepping out into the great outdoors for a brief walk can boost your mood and give you a fresh perspective when you return.

The benefits of walking have been widely studied, and this simple, natural form of movement can lower your risk of several chronic diseases, from heart disease to type 2 diabetes and cognitive impairment. While there are benefits to walking at any time of the day, researchers have also studied walking at specific times. Let’s delve into some of the research.

The benefits of morning walking

Burning fat

Brisk walking and consistent light morning exercise before eating or drinking prompts your body to burn fat more efficiently than if you do it later in the day after meals. In the morning, before you eat, could be a better time to go walking for those with the goal of weight management. Researchers have concluded that having a consistent exercise time, particularly in the morning, can be beneficial for individuals who are overweight or obese.

Alertness

Morning walks can help improve blood flow to your brain, potentially leading to clearer thinking at work. Walking outdoors in the morning sunlight (bright light exposure) can help alleviate your sleepiness. Researchers found that the early morning transition from dim to brighter light suppresses melatonin secretion, which is your sleep hormone, while inducing an immediate rise of over 50% in cortisol levels. Cortisol helps you feel more awake.

Afternoon and mid-day walking

Boost your mood

Walking in a green space or somewhere out in nature in the afternoon or mid-day has been shown to lower scores of:

Anxiety
Hostility
Tension
Anger
Depression
Fatigue

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Interestingly, this study found that walking in an urban space didn’t yield the same health benefits as walking in a green space.

Improve your blood sugar levels

A brisk walk after you chow down on your meal (or shortly thereafter) can help balance blood sugar levels, which is good news for your heart health. Time for a nature walk after lunch?

Steph Green (Steph Zee) is a singer-songwriter and professional writer with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and…

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