Why early morning classes are amazing for your body and mind
Whether you are a regular at our early morning classes, or only go to evening classes, the majority of us know the feeling of waking up on a winter’s morning at 5 am, seeing how dark and cold it is and wanting nothing more than to stay in your nest of perfect warmth that your bed seems to become.
Let’s take a look at the science behind why you should wake earlier, the benefits that our early morning classes can bring to you and some tips to motivate those who find it hard to get out of bed so early in the morning!
Studies have found that you should wake up with the sun and go to sleep with the sun. By doing this your brain will be alerted that you are ready for the day and your first release of dopamine will be triggered. The rhythm of the circadian cycle is also improved which regulates your cortisol boost timing. Every 24 hours you get one boost and seeing sunlight within the first half an hour of waking up releases this as early as possible which is optimal for our bodies as it promotes wakefulness and the ability to concentrate throughout the day. There have also been many studies that show that it leads to better sleep at night. Therefore, just by waking up earlier, you will feel better throughout the day and happier overall. What better way to view a bit of morning sunlight than by travelling to an exercise class?
Doctor Andrew Huberman, a neurobiologist professor, advises exercising early in the morning as exercise clears adenosine out of the system and raises the body’s core temperature which further signals to your body that you are awake and ready for the day, promoting wakefulness and better focus throughout the day. Adenosine is what naturally builds up throughout the day in our bodies, the longer we are awake. It turns on our parasympathetic nervous system which tells us we are ready to sleep. Exercise clears this out of the system which means that it acts like a natural caffeine dose, keeping us awake, alert and fuelled for longer. If you often wake up tired and not well rested, this means that you have a high amount of adenosine still in your system. Therefore, exercising in the early morning is what is best for you as it reduces the amount in your body and leaves you ready for a longer day.
It’s harder for a lot of people to start exercising and feel the motivation to go to classes throughout the day. If you are one of those people then our early morning classes are the right place for you. Getting out of bed is the hardest part. It is best to get the hardest part of the day (if that is what exercising is for you motivationally speaking) out of the way first thing and then feel the benefits of it last throughout the rest of the day. There is a saying in the military that, in order to have a better day, when you wake up, make your bed. Then it is easier to do everything else. This is the same idea. Getting out of bed, getting dressed, walking out of the door and arriving at class are all small steps which once completed make the next one easier. You get into a flow.
By ticking off exercising first thing in the day, before your day would normally start, not only are you fitting in exercise and so leading a healthier lifestyle, but you are increasing your productivity for the day by setting yourself up with positivity and energy. Science shows that exercise in the morning improves your productivity levels throughout the day because of the motivation and positive energy that it produces and maintains throughout the day. That sleep that you will feel you are lacking when you wake up in the early hours will feel even more rewarding and come more naturally and deeply when you lie down at the end of the day, exercised and feeling good. Plus, after the class, that tiredness you felt waking up and travelling to class will be gone! Instead, your body will be full of chemicals such as endorphins- natural caffeine!
Let’s discuss some tips:
- Lay your clothes out the night before. It will put you in the right mindset before you go to sleep and make you feel more organised, saving you time in the morning.
- Put your alarm somewhere not in arms reach. If you have to get up out of bed and walk to your alarm to turn it off then you are already out of bed. It is so easy to turn the alarm off with a whack of the hand and turn over without realising when you are sleepy in the morning.
- Hydrate when you wake up. We lose a full litre of water every night so it is important to hydrate when we wake up. If it is going to be cold outside then drink hot water before you leave the house. There are many benefits to this but it will also warm you up! Try not to have caffeine within an hour of waking up as this can induce an afternoon crash. If it is warmer, drink cold water. It will refresh you and wake your body up, preparing it for exercise.
- Try to give yourself something to be proud of. Whether it is just waking up earlier than usual or completing the morning class, be proud. You are one out of the few who is awake so early bettering themselves and you have already completed at least one task before you normally would.
- Make your bed as soon as you wake up. It is one small task that will start a chain of many more and make it easier to continue preparing yourself for the day. It will also stop you from crawling back in!
Bibliography:-
https://brainflow.co/2022/11/04/andrew-hubermans-optimal-morning-routine/ (last accessed 9th September 2023).
https://www.gq.com/story/real-life-diet-andrew-huberman (last accessed 9th September 2023).
https://www.wellandgood.com/coffee-first-thing-morning/ (last accessed 12th September 2023).