Get Moving!: Why Exercise in the Morning Is Good for You
Have trouble getting up in the morning for work? Perhaps it’s time to reconsider hitting that snooze button and hopping out of bed for an early-morning workout! While it might be a struggle to get yourself out of bed, there are many benefits to exercising at the beginning of the day. Here are a few reasons to get motivated to jump out of bed and get moving in the morning!
1. More workout productivity:
By giving yourself plenty of time early in the morning to exercise, you will be able to fit more workouts into your schedule, rather than end up skipping out due to time constraints. Especially if you’re a gym junkie, heading over bright and early to the gym has its benefits, since the weight and cardio rooms tend to be less packed with other gym-goers. You will be able to work in more sets into your workout regimen, without having to worry about sharing equipment or waiting for others to finish with the weights. So go ahead and max out your morning!
- Gives you a metabolic boost:
While it’s true that any workout will help kickstart your metabolism, exercising in the morning will give you an extra push, helping you burn more calories throughout the day. Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) helps restore and replenish your body following exercise, thus fueling your body and making it stronger, so if you do exercises that make you breathe deeply, you’ll reap even more benefits. In order to get this metabolic boost, aim for cardio workouts such as running, swimming, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
- You feel good about yourself:
With the end of a good workout comes a feeling of happiness and accomplishment. Endorphins (“feel-good hormones”) are activated following a workout, which will leave you in good spirits for the rest of the day. In addition, you do not need to do long hours of intense workout in order to achieve this natural high: even thirty minutes of moderate exercise with weights and cardio will be enough.
- It frees up the rest of your day:
By waking up early and hitting the gym in the morning, you will have more time to do many other activities throughout the rest of your day. You can have extra time to work on projects, clean the house, or catch up on work. You will feel that you have more time than usual to complete your activities, and at the end of the day, you will feel a sense of accomplishment.
- More productive at work:
Exercising before heading off to work has its benefits: not only will you be fully awake, but you will also be able to get more errands done throughout the day. The natural boost in alertness and energy will improve your productivity levels, as well as get you in good spirits for the day-to-day interactions with your boss and co-workers. It’s better than coffee: exercise is the ultimate stimulant—and it’s free!
