Why the Morning Air Is Healthful

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 7, 1906

Why the Morning Air Is Healthful

Most people at some time in their lives probably have risen early enough to experience the bracing effect given by filling the lungs while the dew is still on the grass. So far as analysis goes, the composition of early morning air is not different from the air at any other time. It is well to remember, however, that during the passing of the night to day and of day to night several physical changes take place.

There is a fall of temperature at sunset, and a rise again at dawn, and, consequently, moisture is alternately being thrown out and taken up again, and it is well known that change of state is accompanied by electrical phenomena, and by certain chemical manifestations also. The formation of dew has probably, therefore, far more profound effects than merely the moistening of objects with water.

Dew is vitalizing, not entirely because it is water, but because it possesses an invigorating action, due partly at any rate, to the fact that it is saturated with oxygen, and it has been stated that during its formation peroxide and hydrogen and some ozone are developed. It is not improbable that the peculiarly attractive and refreshing quality which marks the early morning air has its origin in this way.

Certain is it that the bracing property of the early morning air wears off as the day advances, and it is easy to conceive this loss of freshness is due to the oxygen, ozone, peroxide of hydrogen—which ever it may be—being used up.

The difficulty of inducing grass to flourish under a tree in full leaf is well known, and is generally explained by saying that the tree absorbs the flourishing constituents of the soil, or that it keeps the sunlight away from the grass, and protects it from the rain. It is doubtful whether any of these explanations are true, the real reason most probably being that the vitalizing dew can not form upon the grass under a tree, whereas as a rule both rain and light can reach it. Dew is probably essential to the well-being of both plants and animals to a greater extent than is known.

—Illustrated Times.