HEALTH NOTES: Walkies? Make sure it's in the morning! trends now

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Walking your dog can ward off depression – but only if done in the morning.

Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna studied 26,000 nurses in the US and found those who got up early to take their dog out saw big improvements in their mood.

But walking them only in the afternoon or evening did little to improve owners’ mental health, the report in journal PLOS One found.

Scientists believe early dog walks, like any walks, help to ‘reset’ the human body clock, which may benefit mental health.