Picture this: it’s early, we’re talkin’ sky-still-black early, street-lights-still-on early, and as far as you’re concerned: too-cozy-to-move early. Soon, the day’s going to come rushing towards you, throwing all manner of stresses your way. But it’s not here yet. So why not just continue basking in the sweet softness of that blanket and warm cuddle of the pillow?

We’ll tell you why not. Because you’re currently experiencing one of the most valuable opportunities you’re gonna get all day long — the chance to work out early in the morning! Now, if you’re one of those type A, highly strung, get-up-and-go folks, we’re preaching to the choir. But for those sleepyheads and snuggle monsters, we’ll be having you singing a different tune in no time, because we’re here to convince you why early morning exercise sessions are one of the best things you can do for your overall health and fitness! 

When Is the Best Time to Work Out?

We’ll make this short, sweet, and simple: it’s first thing in the morning before work, before the kids wake up, before the chaos of the day begins. Now, for a very tiny minority of you, who schedule your days based on the Tokyo stock market or run the graveyard shift at the hospital — this doesn’t apply. But the vast majority of us still start work somewhere in the region of 8, 8:30, or 9 A.M. And if this is you, 5:30 is golden hour — it typically gives you enough time to get your sweat on in a powerhouse workout, including warm ups and cool downs, plus leaves room for kid corralling, showering and shaving, lotioning and potioning, curling and combing, until you look like a million bucks. 

The Benefits of Working Out Early

We know that it can be a bit of a challenge for some of you to ditch the duvet in favor of the dumbbell. But check out some of the amazing benefits of early morning exercise…

Distractions, Denied 

For tons of people, and you may be included in this group, it can be tough to maintain your commitment to fitness. Let’s face it, in the normal course of daily life, things happen: cars break down, kids get colds, mother-in-laws come to visit, your boss needs to have a word, mother-in-laws don’t want to leave, that deadline just got pushed — the list goes on. But for a few perfect moments in the early morning, you’re free. Free from distractions, annoyances, responsibilities, and everything else that gets in your way.

All Day Energy

We know that those early morning creaks and cracks can be a pretty steep speed bump, but something very interesting happens when we do something hard first thing in the morning — we get rewarded tenfold. Once we get out of that comfort zone, lace up those sneakers, and start busting out some resistance training or cardio, we boost our blood circulation, flow of oxygen, and healthy hormones that all contribute to that pep in our step throughout the day. Early morning exercise equals tons of energy you can utilize all day long, it’s that simple.

Mental Health Matters

We all take mental health dips from time to time. But when we exercise early, we produce the feel-good neurotransmitters called endorphins, which help us reduce stress, lower anxiety, and curb depression. Sure you may get down in the dumps from time to time, but with a butt-kicking workout in the morning, you can reduce the incidence of those negative thoughts and moods.

Nutrition & Metabolism

When it comes to your diet and eating habits, there are two very important reasons why the morning is the best time of day to work out. Firstly, exercise speeds up your metabolism, and studies have shown that it does so at higher levels in the morning. Secondly, when we experience that unparalleled feeling of accomplishment after a rousing workout, we’re encouraged to make healthier food choices throughout the day.

Better ZZZ’s

It’s important to note that you should never give up on sleep for an extended period of time – that’s one of the worst things you can do for your health. But taking a day or two to reset your internal clock can have tremendous benefits on catching those ZZZs. Because when we work out early in the morning, we’re expending energy and lowering stress, which both help us sleep better at night.

Well we hope we’ve given you all you need to start getting up early to work out! And if you need further motivation, sign up for a 7-Day Free Trial with Studio SWEAT onDemand! We’ve got an endless library of onDemand workouts that you can do at the crack of dawn (or anytime really), with a huge variety that’ll always keep things fresh. And if you happen to live in the San Diego area, check out the 5:30 A.M. classes we offer at Studio SWEAT! We’ve got some amazing early-morning Spinning, Sculpting, and Strength Training classes taught by the best in the biz. Plus our brand new spiffy locker rooms have got everything you need to get you fresh as a daisy before heading off to work. 

That’s all for us. Just remember, when it comes to working out early…you snooze, you lose!