Working out at this time of day isn’t just beneficial for your body, but you’ll strengthen your brain’s learning and memory capabilities, too.
When it comes to working out, most people are concerned with things like ‘how often (and for how long) should I exercise?’, or ‘what should I eat before and after I workout?’, or ‘should I lift weights?’ One often overlooked factor that’ll help you maximize those gains is when you should be working out.
Wendy Suzuki, PhD, author of Healthy Brain, Happy Life and a professor at the Center for Neural Science at New York University in New York, says that exercising in the morning can give your brain a boost, too. This is due to the fact neurotransmitters and growth factors are highest in the a.m., meaning you’ll position your brain for better learning and memory functions throughout the rest of the day.
Science backs up what Suzuki says, too. One recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that older adults who exercised in the morning had better brain function – this included both decision making and short-term memory capability.
Further studies published in the journal Healthy Psychology suggest that adding a healthy habit to your daily morning routine, like regular exercise, is more likely to stick than one performed in the evening.
Related: Is it Safe to Work Out Twice a Day?
But wait, there’s more: A third study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that morning workouts helped manage appetites, which led to greater weight loss.
So, hopefully you’re a morning person in order to reap all the benefits exercise has to offer in the early hours of the day. But if you aren’t, don’t sweat it and continue exercising. As long as you’re sticking to your routine consistently, your body and brain will still be better off for it.
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