There are several reasons exercising can feel much harder first thing in the morning. Here\u2019s why, and how you can adjust to morning exercise if you need to.<\/p>\n
Your circadian rhythm affects your workout<\/p>\n
Your body has a natural 24-hour clock that regulates hormones, body temperature and when you feel most awake or ready for sleep.<\/p>\n
This clock is called your circadian rhythm. It is controlled by the brain<\/a> but can also be influenced by external factors such as sunlight. This might explain why exercising in the morning in winter can be especially hard for some of us.<\/p>\n Research shows<\/a> your circadian rhythm is clearly linked to exercise performance, which tends to follow a daily pattern. <\/p>\n Most people reach their peak between 4 and 7pm. This means we tend to be stronger, faster and more powerful in the afternoon and early evening.<\/p>\n We don\u2019t know exactly why. But there are a few potential explanations.<\/p>\n Matt Garrow\/The Conversation. Body temperature <\/p>\n Your core body temperature is at its lowest around 5am, and steadily increases across the day<\/a>. When your body temperature rises, your muscles contract<\/a> more efficiently. We think this is part of the reason people are typically stronger and more powerful<\/a> later in the day. <\/p>\n Hormonal fluctuations<\/p>\n Insulin \u2013 the hormone that regulates blood sugar (glucose) levels \u2013 tends to be highest<\/a> in the morning. This leads to a decrease in blood sugar, meaning less glucose your body can use as fuel, likely affecting how hard you can push. <\/p>\n Nervous system function<\/p>\n While we don\u2019t know exactly why, there is some evidence to suggest your nervous system is better at sending signals to your muscles <\/a> throughout the day. This allows you to use more of your muscle fibres<\/a> during exercise, essentially making you stronger. <\/p>\n But what if I\u2019m a morning person?<\/p>\n Your sleep chronotype can also affect exercise performance. <\/p>\n This describes your natural inclination for sleep and wakefulness at certain parts of the day<\/a> \u2013 basically whether you\u2019re a \u201cmorning person\u201d (an \u201cearly bird\u201d), or feel more productive and alert in the evening (a \u201cnight owl\u201d).<\/p>\n Research shows night owls with a late chronotype do notably worse<\/a> when exercising in the morning, compared to people with an early chronotype.<\/p>\n While we don\u2019t know why this is the case, it might be that night owls experience smaller fluctuations in hormones and temperature throughout the day \u2013 although this is just speculation. <\/p>\n Interestingly, being sleep deprived seems to affect physical performance<\/a> in the afternoon more than in the morning. So if you\u2019re staying up late and not getting much sleep, you may actually find it easier to exercise the next morning than the next afternoon.<\/p>\n So, does timing matter?<\/p>\n Whatever time of day, if you can feel yourself working you will make progress \u2013 for example, increasing muscle strength<\/a> and improving aerobic fitness and heart health<\/a>.<\/p>\n So if you\u2019re exercising to get bigger, stronger and fitter, the timing doesn\u2019t actually matter. <\/p>\n Besides, when we exercise often comes down to motivation and convenience. If you like to exercise earlier in the day and that suits you best, there\u2019s no reason to change.<\/p>\n But you can adapt if you need<\/p>\n If you have a sporting event coming up in the morning \u2013 and you usually train in the afternoon \u2013 you might want to prepare by doing some early exercise so you\u2019re at your peak.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/file-20241023-14-729bed.gif\")
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\n Adapted from Delos<\/a>, CC BY<\/a><\/p>\n