The Best Amount of Time to Let Yourself Wake Up Before Morning Exercise

Do you jump up out of bed ready to start your day? If your energy level is high and your body feels ready, working out first thing in the morning might be the best time for you to get moving.

Morning exercise is a great way to start your day. To get the most out of your morning exercise, set your alarm clock one hour earlier than your normal wake-up time. This gives you time to eat, hydrate, and warm up.

Working Out After Waking Up

The argument for working out first thing in the morning is two-fold:

1. You tackle your daily exercise requirements before the day’s hustle and bustle, which helps eliminate potential roadblocks to exercise.
2. Daily morning exercise kick-starts your metabolism, gets your heart pumping, and may help lower blood pressure for some people. In a study of 30 women and 26 men who trained regularly, those who exercised in the morning saw a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure (the maximum pressure during a heartbeat) and fatigue.

That said, to exercise properly, your body needs to be warm, which means it's not such a great idea to jump out of bed and go full force. To help your body get ready for exercise, set your alarm clock at least 10 minutes earlier than normal (along with extra time needed for eating and exercising).

Use these 10 minutes to get your body ready for performance. Taking a brisk walk and performing dynamic movements both help your muscles and joints prepare for exercise.

Eating and Hydrating Before Daily Morning Exercise

Working out first thing in the morning requires you to pay close attention to your body's fuel. While some people say exercising on an empty stomach is a great way to burn fat, the experts at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend eating at least a small snack before morning exercise.

This means you might need to allow an extra hour after waking up to get your workout in. This allows you enough time to eat and let your food settle before working out.

Examples of good pre-workout foods include:

• A slice of peanut butter toast and a banana
• Greek yogurt with berries
• An apple and almond butter

When it comes to fluids before your morning exercise, aim to hydrate with water beforehand. Drink a glass of water when you first get up in the morning or sip on it while eating your pre-workout meal.

Daily Morning Exercise Options

While you can try doing whatever exercise feels comfortable, there are some special considerations to keep in mind when planning your daily morning exercise:

• If the sun is still asleep, you may want to opt for an indoor session. Some of the more popular options for working out after waking up include at-home workouts, circuit training at the gym, a gentle yoga class, or watching the morning news while sweating it out on the treadmill.
• If your plans take you outdoors, make sure to wear the proper safety attire so that people can see you.
• Exercising with a buddy helps keep you safe, especially if you plan on hitting the pavement before sunrise.
• If you have any health concerns or experience any discomfort while working out in the morning, stop what you're doing and talk with your doctor.

Remember, if you’re not an early riser or morning exercise disrupts your workday too much, you can reap benefits from working out at any time that fits your lifestyle.