5 Reasons to Work Out in the Morning

There’s nothing like working out first thing in the morning to set yourself up for a great day. Here are our top 5 reasons to leap out of bed and get moving (or dancing!) in the morning

Your body continues burning calories after your morning workout, even while you’re sitting at a desk or doing the school run. This metabolic miracle is known as post-exercise oxygen consumption (or EPOC). Cardio, high intensity interval training, and resistance training are some of the best ways to boost your EPOC.

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition also showed that eating breakfast after your workout can burn up to 20% more body fat, while other studies have found that people who work out in the morning are more active for the rest of the day.

As you know from Legally Blonde, exercise releases endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. But exercise also releases norepinephrine, which helps us moderate stress. Working out in the morning means you set yourself up for a positive and productive day, and are better equipped to deal with a busy schedule.

Exercise is also great for the brain. Dancing in particular has been show to improve your creativity, ward off dementia and help fight depression – check out our blog post for more info.

Studies have shown that your cardio workout might be making you smarter. Researchers from Cambridge University showed that running stimulates the growth of brain cells linked to memory and learning, and could potentially slow the mental degeneration that occurs with old age. Another study showed that exercise increases a brain protein known as BDNF, which helps with decision-making, higher level thinking, and learning. Regular cardio workouts in the morning might have a positive effect on your brain chemistry that could boost your long-term mental acuity at work or school.

Again, the science shows that exercising in the morning has positive effects on your body. In a study by Appalachian State University, people who worked out in the morning for just 30 minutes reduced their blood pressure by 10%. Blood pressure continued to drop throughout the day, until it had dipped by 25% at night. High blood pressure can make it difficult to sleep at night, which leads us to our final point…

It can be difficult to fall asleep after an evening workout, since all the chemicals that fuel your day when you work out in the morning can also keep you up at night. According to the National Sleep Foundation, those who work out in the morning enjoy longer, deeper and more high-quality slumber than those who exercise later in the day.

Try one of our early morning classes for just $10 until the end of November – Yoga, Pilates, Ballet Barre Workout and more on the timetable.