Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Early birds get plenty of benefits from morning workouts. Here’s the research

Research highlights the advantages of exercising earlier in the day, so there’s no need to ditch that morning run or strength training sesh.

man on running track sunrise sunset
Karthik / Pexels

Some of us enjoy a sunset run while others rise and shine, ready to work out. We all have our preferred times and types of workouts, whether you’re an early bird or a night owl. With our busy modern lives, we should be proud if we’re managing to fit even 10 or 15 minutes of exercise into our day.

Those who enjoy working out in the morning will be pleased to hear that there are plenty of benefits, from better sleep to sharpening your focus. Let’s look at the research.

Recommended Videos

The benefits of morning exercise

running shoes sneakers outside park bench sunrise sunset
Karl Solano / Pexels

Research highlights the advantages of exercising earlier in the day, so there’s no need to ditch that morning run, yoga routine, or strength training sesh.

Sleep more soundly

Man sleeping in a T-shirt
Africa Studio / Shutterstock

One study published in Sleep Medicine showed that just walking in the morning could improve sleep quality at night. The study involved adults aged 55 to 65 with mild insomnia or difficulty falling asleep. The most significant improvements were found in the middle of the night.

Blood sugar regulation

measuring blood sugar with a white handheld blood sugar monitor on a wooden table
Isens USA / Unsplash

Research published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology has shown that morning exercise can lower the risk of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels. In this study, adults with type 1 diabetes completed treadmill workouts in the morning and in the afternoon, and the results indicated that morning exercise was linked to a lower risk of hypoglycemic events compared to exercising in the afternoon.

Sharper focus

man smiling drinking tea working at desk
Olly / Pexels

We all want to sharpen our thinking skills and stay more focused to level up our productivity at work and elsewhere. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine revealed that morning exercise boosts visual learning, decision-making, and attention span.

For this study, participants sat on their butts for eight-hour sessions. They were split into two groups, with only one group completing a 30-minute morning treadmill walk. As expected, the group who completed the morning walk showed better results when it came to improving cognitive function, or shall we call it brain power.

More movement when you aren’t working out

man walking outside wearing glasses
Arina Krasnikova / Pexels

Interestingly, some research reveals that people tend to move around more on the day following their morning training. The researchers found that earlier workouts increased participants’ NEAT, which refers to their non-exercise activity thermogenesis and how much energy they burn throughout the day performing their regular tasks when they’re not working out.

Appetite regulation

man eating food on couch
Cotton Bro / Pexels

Waking up and getting those muscles moving sooner can also help regulate your appetite. For example, in a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers recruited 35 participants to walk on a treadmill for 45 minutes in the morning.

Researchers examined and measured their brain activity while participants looked at images of flowers or food. They repeated the process without exercising in the morning and found that the participant’s brains showed a stronger response to food images on the days when they didn’t complete the morning exercise.

Of course, any exercise is better than no exercise at all, but if you prefer to knock your workouts out before lunch, you’ll get several benefits for your overall health and fitness.

Steph Green
Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…
Topics
I tried the Google Pixel Watch 3 after years with Apple — here’s what shocked me
What surprised me about this fitness watch
Google Pixel Watch 3

I've always been a fan of Apple products for every device, from my iPhone to my Mac to my Apple Watch. There's something safe about sticking with what you know. Though there's comfort to be found in familiarity, the safe choice isn't necessarily always the best one.

Playing it safe and sticking with what you know also means you might not be aware of what's out there that could be a better fit for your needs. When I stepped outside of my comfort zone to try the Google Pixel Watch 3, I learned a few things. Here's what surprised me most about trying the Google Pixel Watch 3.
Sizing and comfort

Read more
Here’s why fitness buffs are doing the Japanese interval walking method
Try this science-backed walking method for your wellness
man walking near streetlights

I’ve seen more and more research on the benefits of walking for your health. For example, one large meta-analysis revealed that two minutes of walking around the block after eating helped stabilize insulin levels and slowed the rise and fall in blood sugar from the meal. A 10-minute walk has been shown to reduce blood pressure and improve mood, and researchers found that a brisk 11-minute walk a day lowers the risk of several illnesses. 

It’s clear that walking is good news for your wellness, and recently, fitness buffs have been raving about the Japanese interval walking method. Let’s look at what it is, how to do it, and the benefits.

Read more
Here’s why Arnie and other champions used this bodybuilding hack 50 years ago
There's good reason why Arnie and other champion weightlifters use this muscle-building method.
Man laying on workout bench doing chest presses with dumbbells

Today, we see numerous fitness influencers sharing their tips and tricks for getting in shape, building serious muscle, or achieving specific goals. Bodybuilding champions like Arnold Schwarzenegger have been inspiring us for decades and sharing tips on how to train smart rather than just training hard and reaching burnout. 

As Arnie recently shared in his Pump Club newsletter, along with his 30-minute dumbbell workout, the goal is to train with intention and include sufficient rest intervals rather than rushing through reps, which can compromise safety and form and push you closer to fatigue and burnout. Recently, a bodybuilding hack that was extremely popular in the 1970s is coming back. Let’s explore time under tension or TUT.

Read more