In this week's episode of SportSquire, Brad speaks about the several benefits of exercising in the morning.
Tune in to get the details of the episode by he summarizes the benefits as:
1.) Increased Chances of Consistency Due to Fewer Distractions
2.) Healthier Food Choices: In 2018, The International Journal of Obesity published a study with 2,680 college students who completed a 15 week exercise program. Each week involved three 30 minute sessions of cardio. The students were not asked to change their eating habits yet those who stuck with the program made healthier food choices like eating less red meat and fried food.
3.) Mental Benefits Include Increases Alertness, Mood, and Focus: Cortisol increases in the morning and drops in the evening. If your circadian rhythm is healthy you may be more primed for exercise in the morning.
4.) Supplements Weight Loss and Appetite Control: In 2015, EBioMedicine published a study including 10 young men who exercised in the morning, afternoon, and evening on separate sessions. The researchers found that 24 hour fat burn was highest when they exercised in the morning before breakfast. Additionally, a 2012 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise looked at 35 women who walked on a treadmill for 45 minutes in the morning. Researchers measured the women's brain waves as they viewed photos of flowers (the control) and food. A week later the process was repeated without morning exercise. The researchers found that the brain wave response was stronger to food when they didn't exercise in the morning. This suggests that morning workouts may improve how your brain responds to food cues.
5.) Increases Odds of Overall Activity:The same study listed above from 2012 displayed that the women who did the 45 minutes of treadmill exercise program had an increase in physical activity over the next 24 hours.
6.) Blood Glucose Control and Blood Pressure Management: Morning exercise has been linked to improved insulin resistance. A study published in the Vascular Health and Risk Management investigated the effects of exercise on blood pressure. Participants were enrolled in a 30 minute treadmill supervised workout in groups that exercised at 7am, 1pm, and 7pm. The findings show that the group that did the early morning exercises reduced their blood pressure by 10%. The reduction was sustained and in some dipped even further to at least 25% reductio.
7.) Improved Sleep: The National Sleep Foundation reports that people who exercise on a treadmill at 7:00am are more likely to sleep longer and sustain deep sleep cycles thank people who workout later in the day. Charlene Gamaldo MD, at John Hopkins Center For Sleep also states moderate aerobic exercise increases the amount of slow wave sleep you get.
8.) Improved Energy: A study by researchers at the University of Georgia found that regular, low-intensity exercises like a simple jog or even casual stroll can boost energy levels by 20% and decrease fatigue by 65%.
9.) Increase Your Confidence: Can boost self confidence and self-esteem by accomplishing something first thing in the morning. Better self esteem has shown to help improve productivity as well as our social lives too.
