If you’re trying to get into an exercise routine – or trying to maintain an existing one – the time at which you exercise can have a real impact on how successful you are. The morning can be the best time to do your workout for a number of reasons. Here are a few of them.

1) You’ll Kick-Start Your Metabolism

Working out in the morning gives your metabolic rate a quick boost, allowing you to burn more calories for the rest of the day. This is much more useful than having your metabolism revved up in the evening when you’ll soon just be sleeping.

2) You’ll Start the Day Happier

Exercise releases endorphins in the body – feel-good hormones that improve your mood. If exercise helps you start the morning feeling cheerful, you’re more likely to maintain a good mood throughout the rest of the day. As a bonus, this improved mood can help you feel less stressed at work.

3) You’ll Feel More Energised for the Day

While you may think of exercise as draining, it actually boosts your energy. This means that working out in the morning gives you more energy to get through work or any other tasks you need to complete throughout the day.

4) You Won’t Have to Squeeze Exercise Between Other Priorities

Work and family commitments can keep you busy for most of the day, so it can be a struggle to fit exercise into your routine. Getting it out of the way as soon as you get up means you won’t be struggling to find the time for it between your other commitments later in the day.

5) You’re Less Likely to Skip Your Workout

When you don’t exercise in the morning, it’s easy for the whole distraction-filled day to slip by without you finding the time to fit in your workout at all. Or you may finally get a bit of spare time in the evening, but feel too tired after a day at work to bother with exercise. You’re much less likely to skip your workout if you get it over with in the morning.

If you’re struggling to fit exercise into your routine, or are just unsure when the best time to work out is, try doing it in the morning. Whether you get up extra early for a trip to the gym or just set your alarm 20 minutes earlier so you can go for a short run, you’ll reap plenty of benefits from starting the day with a little physical activity.