Are your hormones happy?

Most people that know me, know I like to train daily at 6am.  There are so many benefits to this!

Firstly, it takes discipline to drag yourself out of a warm bed to exercise, so if you can do this, you can do anything! I make sure I get everything ready the night before and know that all I need to do is put my gym kit on. Once I’m dressed, thats the hard part done!  Getting up at 6am, 7am or 8am are all a struggle so get it done early!

Secondly, It can create a healthy habit.  Our mind has a way of remembering things in particular ways, i.e negatively or positively, we call it neuroplasticity. So if you always start the day with a good dose of happy hormones in a positive way, you are helping your brain to remember to do this, hence creating a happy habit!

Studies show that we get the most from our dopamine hit first thing in the morning as it promotes feelings of alertness and wakefulness. It also plays a role in many bodily functions such as movement, memory, pleasurable reward and motivation. Another hormone that can be released via exercise is serotonin. This can hep regulate your mood as well as your sleep, appetite and learning ability. The more of this you get before work or school, the better your day will be!

I have challenged many patients recently to try early morning training and not one has regretted it!

Cortisol is the hormone that causes stress.  By exercising and being outdoors, you can relieve that stress, lower your blood pressure and prioritise your physical and mental health. 

So go forth and release those hormones!