Health Benefits of Jogging In The Morning: Science and Facts

Do you consider doing morning jogs? Well, you should! There are several health benefits of jogging in the morning – and some of them can be real life-changers!

Here are six science-proved reasons why YOU should start your day with a jog – instead of pressing the cursed snooze button!

Contents

1 Science Proved Health Benefits of Jogging In The Morning
2 Final Words
3 Other Helpful Resources
4 References

Science Proved Health Benefits of Jogging In The Morning

Runner’s High

Think back to a time when you just finished a workout. Maybe it was a weight session in the gym, a spinning class, or a jog outside. No matter what it was, you probably felt great afterward. Your mood was high, you felt motivated, you were focused, and more confident.

This state is known as the runner’s high and occurs thanks to the flood of endorphins your body releases in response to physical activity (1). The primary job of these hormones is to suppress pain, but they also bring about a sense of euphoria that lasts for hours.

The great news is, running is one of the best ways to achieve this state of motivation, satisfaction, and elevated mood. You can run for as little as twenty minutes to achieve it.

It’s Great For Productivity

It’s often said that what we do in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Start productively, and you will be productive. Start unfocused and rushing, and your day will always have this feeling of unease.

Of course, this isn’t always the case. We sometimes have a bad start, but pick up later and have a great day. But, as a rule of thumb, we should try setting a tone for the type of day we want to have.

Jogging in the morning is a great way to set the tone for productivity, structure, and positive behaviors. Though it may seem simple, a short jog can put us in the mindset of, “I want to keep this up and have a great day.” Plus, thanks to runner’s high, we are more likely to feel more motivated and work harder.

It Leads to Elevated Fat Burning

Fat burning is a measure of how well (or poorly) your body uses fatty acids for energy. Of course, fat burning does not mean fat loss, but it is one component of the equation. Other important things like sustaining a calorie deficit and getting enough protein are also vital (2).

But, fat burning is essential, and research shows that morning cardio can elevate it (3). Given a solid nutritional plan and consistency, this slight boost in fat burning can lead to better results over time.

It Can Improve Your Mental Health

Countless studies point at one simple idea:

Regular physical activity is one of the best things we should do to elevate our mental health. Exercise alleviates anxiety and depression, reduces the risk of suffering from them in the future, and brings a sense of well-being (4).

Physically active people are happier, more satisfied, and in a better mood than their sedentary counterparts (5).

Having a nice jog in the morning is a great way to reap these benefits and elevate your mental health. Aside from the immediate benefits of endorphins flooding your body, you also get to enjoy amazing long-term effects from making this a habit.

It Might Help You Sleep Better

Research has established that regular physical activity can improve our sleep quality (6).

One theory here is that exercise taxes the body and nervous system. So, we are more likely to fall asleep in the evening, simply because we are more tired and need rest. Another potential reason could relate to sleep’s impact on stress and well-being. Since exercise helps us deal with stress and feel less anxious, we are more likely to be relaxed come bedtime.

The only potential issue is that vigorous exercise in the evening can impair sleep due to the flood of noradrenaline and other hormones that serve to sharpen our senses and make us more alert (7).

The good news is, having a morning jog is a great way to take advantage of exercise, improve our sleep, and not risk impairing our sleep in any way.

It’s Great For Building Discipline

Let’s be honest for a moment:

At some point in our lives, we’ve all found ourselves hitting the snooze button on the alarm. Despite our best intentions in the evening, alarm clocks have this nasty habit of cutting through the silence when we least want them to.

But do you know what the difference between those who snooze and those who get up immediately is? Discipline. Yes, the resolve to get up when the day calls for us and tackle it with energy and enthusiasm.

Waking up for a morning jog might not be the most pleasant of things. After all, why not sleep an extra 30, 40, even 50 minutes, right? But with each time you get up and go for a jog, you build discipline. You prove yourself you can do what’s right instead of what’s easy. Plus, as we discussed above, jogging makes us feel great, and you will eventually begin to associate waking up earlier with that feeling of euphoria.

Final Words

Jogging in the morning is nothing new. Whether you’ve done it yourself or know people who have, you’ve always known it exists.

And though it may not seem like a big deal, it is. Going for a simple jog in the morning takes little effort but impacts us profoundly. It delivers many incredible benefits, makes us more disciplined, and allows us to start each day with structure.

Sounds good or what?

Now you know what to do when you wake up tomorrow!

If you want to learn more about the effect of jogging – or any other types of cardio – be sure to visit my MASSIVE cardio workout and exercise archive, LOADED with science, hacks, and workout routines.

See you there.