Exercise for 5 minutes each morning
Morning movement is an incredibly powerful way to reset your internal clock and optimize your health. It also sets the tone for the day, improves cognition, and negates the effects of our sedentary society. This week, try moving for at least 5 minutes each morning.
Importance
Good quality sleep starts as soon as we wake up - in the first 90 minutes of our day - and a big component of this is exercise. Moving in the morning lets your body know that it’s time to be awake and subsequently improves sleep quality.
“To optimize circadian rhythm for performance, you need to add light and movement to the first 20 minutes upon waking up.” - Aubrey Marcus, Own The Day, Own Your Life
Exercising in the morning improves cognition. Movement releases cortisol and endorphins as well as increasing your core temperature and circulation, all of which are going to make you feel more alert, full of energy, and ready to focus. Morning exercise has been found to increase cognitive abilities as effectively as a cup of coffee.
Morning exercise will give your metabolism a boost. After exercise, the body experiences excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and your core temperature is increased, meaning you’ll burn more calories throughout the day compared to if you exercise later in the day. To reap even more benefits, have a cup of black coffee or green tea beforehand. This will help with the mobilization of fatty acids during your movement.
We live in a sedentary society. Fortunately, we can work toward offsetting the negative effects such a lifestyle brings. Moving in the morning is a great start to prevent the negative side effects of sitting for long periods.
Implementation
Incorporate at least 5 minutes of movement somewhere in your morning. You might have to wake up 5 minutes earlier, but it will be worth every second; 5 minutes less sleep is not going to change anything. Pick a time and be consistent with it.
Figure out what you’ll do: a walk around the block, a yoga session, a quick gym workout. Whatever will work best for you is great.
Commit to this appointment with yourself.
This week, try to incorporate some form of movement into your morning. As little as 5 minutes can have huge benefits for your health and wellbeing and can set you on a trajectory to success.
You can try out a 5 minute routine I outline in this article.