Seven reasons why you should exercise in the morning
Starting your day with a morning workout can help you maximise its benefits throughout the day.
While you may be tempted to go back to sleep instead, getting in your exercise early has a whole host of benefits that will make you glad you did not hit that snooze button.
Morning exercise keeps your appetite in check
You have probably noticed that keeping fit makes you want to eat healthier, and according to a study by Brigham Young University in the US, getting some moderate exercise in the morning could also help you regulate your appetite throughout the day.
Morning exercise helps you sleep better at night
One US study found that exercising in the morning can help you get a better night's rest. Apparently the early exertion helps you sleep, and stay in deep sleep, for longer so your body can repair itself more effectively.
Morning exercise boosts your mood and fights stress
When you are feeling anxious about a looming deadline or work appraisal, it might be a good idea to expend that negative energy with a productive session at the gym.
Exercise not only helps lift your mood and regulates blood pressure, it reportedly also helps you manage feelings of grouchiness and anger.
Morning exercise improves brain performance
Instead of reaching for coffee in the morning, try a bout of exercise to clear the fog in your head. While it is true that it gets harder to learn and remember things as we get older, exercise can supposedly prevent and even reverse the downhill slide by helping to create new brain cells and making them more effective.
Morning exercise reduces your exposure to vehicular exhaust
Inhaling vehicular exhaust can cause inflammation and irritation in your airways, making it feel harder to breathe when you need oxygen the most.
Avoid the pollutants generated by vehicles by exercising early in the morning, before heavy traffic hits the road.
Morning exercise helps you stick to your fitness routine
Be it a last-minute dinner appointment with friends or being too tired after work, there are too many excuses to nix that workout session.
Avoid the temptation by exercising in the morning so you can get it out of the way.
Morning exercise helps you burn fat faster
If you have stubborn lingering fat, try exercising in the morning on an empty stomach, as you could burn about 20 per cent more fat than usual, reports a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
According to the research, exercising after an overnight fast helps your body draw on existing fat stores for energy.
This article was first published in Shape (www.shape.com.sg)
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