How many times have we got up from bed in the morning only to bounce right back in the next moment, too exhausted to even get up? And how many times have we felt that these kinds of mornings led to days filled with stress, tensions and mood swings?
If you ask these questions to a bunch of individuals, you would no doubt get the most common answer as ‘Plenty’. Blame it on unhealthy eating habits or a sedentary lifestyle, but more individuals today complain of feeling exhausted when they get up in the morning, a feeling that tends to last throughout the day until they reach home again.
Not many know that a routine 20-minute exercise regime in the morning can change all that. Working out for about 20 minutes early in the morning can be a great start for an active, energized day. So what if you don’t have time to work out in the morning? Make up for it by exercising in the evening or night. Exercising for even five minutes can leave you feeling lighter and happier.
A study conducted by the Researchers at the University of Vermont revealed that moderate intensityaerobic exercises would elevate a person’s mood and keep it in the same state for about 12 hours after exercising.
The study thus indicated about the benefits of aerobic exercises in elevating one’s mood and dealing with the daily stress that causes mood swings.Routine exercises are also known to make you smarter. According to Gretchen Reynolds, exercise can stimulate the creation of new brain cells in addition to making the old ones more effective.
So there you have it. It is clear now that exercising for just 20 minutes a day would leave you feeling healthier and smarter. Moderate aerobic exercise for these 20 minutes would do a lot to boost your mind and body. By moderate, we mean a heart rate of 100-120 beats per minute (this would vary with age, medical conditions and fitness levels etc.). The heart rate can easily be checked by taking the pulse after a 5-minute exercise session, or by using the conversation test (gasping for air while talking and exercising at the same time).
Summary
In a way, your morning routine exercise can be likened to the coffee you drink every day to awaken your senses. Instead of seeing it as a chore, take it as a routine job that you have been doing for ages now. Remember, it’s not about draining yourself out while exercising, but rather, waking up your body in the right way to meet the grueling grind of everyday life head on.