The Risks of Early Morning Exercise

The Risks of Early Morning Exercise

 Do you like to get up early and hit the gym or go for a run? Is a brisk workout your preferred way to start the day? Maybe you're too busy during the day or too tired in the evening, so an early morning exercise program is your only option. Getting some exercise is good for your physical and mental health, but there are additional risks to consider before you go out for that dawn jog around the park. Health professionals and gym instructors will tell you to listen to your body. If something hurts, chances are you're new to exercise, you'll be told not to push yourself too hard at first. Yet when it comes to early morning exercise, many people ignore this advice.

Listen to what your body is telling you. Your body evolved a series of mechanisms to get you up and moving after sleep. The hormones cortisol and adrenaline are naturally produced in higher quantities in the first three hours after you wake up. This not only helps you to feel more alert but increases the flow of blood: your heart gets a 50% increase in the amount of blood going to it when you move from sleep to waking. And the reason that the first cup of coffee feels so great isn't just because of the caffeine. Water has been taken out of your bloodstream during the night and your body naturally feels a Large to rehydrate and get your blood back to normal daytime concentration. These are all good things and part of your body's natural cycle.

But what if you add in a strenuous workout? That's when these natural changes can cause unexpected problems. The extra cortisol and adrenaline raise your blood pressure anyway; start sprinting and it may get dangerously high. Add in the effects of dehydration - think of feeling thirsty when you wake and then think about sweating when you work out, and the stage is set for a potential heart attack. Other natural effects of sleep can complicate things further. You know that your joints and muscles feel stiffer in the morning. The same is true for your blood vessels. Arteries and veins are more rigid when you wake from a night's sleep, putting extra strain on your circulatory system. 

In addition, research suggests that your body's own circadian rhythm means you're more likely to have a heart attack in the morning than any other time of day, regardless of whether you're exercising at that time. If you've had a poor night's sleep you might be tempted to go for a run or to hit the gym to give yourself an energy boost. And while exercise will give you that endorphin hit, broken sleep is linked to raised blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmias.