As a coach, I’ve found that runners are at their best when they build consistency, and that starts with routine.
Establishing a regular running schedule, ideally running around the same time each day, helps your body and mind fall into rhythm. It turns running from something you have to do into something that simply fits into your day — no debate, no skipped runs, just steady progress.
Because of this tendency, runners usually fall within one of several camps: morning, midday, or evening runs. While there’s quite a bit of variability in the midday runners camp, the morning runners group is pretty well-defined and large in terms of unofficial membership.
Running in the morning is indeed a popular and effective training strategy for many runners. So, why do so many runners choose the start of the day to get in their miles?
We’re getting into exactly that with our list of the top benefits of running in the morning. So if you need a little extra motivation to lace up and hit the road before sunrise, consider this your reason to set that early alarm and actually look forward to it.
#1: May Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack
It has been well-established that running, as a form of exercise in general, provides numerous health benefits, including strengthening the heart and lungs, building endurance, and increasing the elasticity of blood vessels.
For these reasons, running has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.1Lee, D., Pate, R. R., Lavie, C. J., Sui, X., Church, T. S., & Blair, S. N. (2014). Leisure-Time Running Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 64(5), 472–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.04.058
In fact, studies2Lee, D.-C., Brellenthin, A. G., Thompson, P. D., Sui, X., Lee, I-Min., & Lavie, C. J. (2017). Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 60(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2017.03.005 have suggested that consistent running, even just a few miles per week, may reduce the risk of premature mortality by 25-40% and can potentially increase your lifespan by three years relative to the life expectancy for non-runners.
While these running benefits aren’t specific to only one time of the day, it’s conceivable that running in the morning can reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular emergencies.
We know that running improves the health of your heart and blood vessels and can reduce anxiety and stress levels.
Moreover, researchers have found3Understanding Heart Disease. (n.d.). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/understanding-heart-disease-symptoms that not only are heart attacks more common in the morning, but those that occur during the morning hours are also more serious, causing an average of 20% more dead heart tissue.
If a morning run can reduce stress and dilate your blood vessels, there’s a good chance your morning run can reduce the risk of a morning cardiac event.
#2: Can Reduce Your Appetite
If you are one of the many runners trying to lose weight, one of the benefits of running in the morning is that it may help suppress your appetite.
Although some people report feeling ravenous after a long run, there’s some evidence4Parr, E. B., Heilbronn, L. K., & Hawley, J. A. (2020). A Time to Eat and a Time to Exercise. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 48(1), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.1249/jes.0000000000000207 to suggest that exercising in the morning may help reduce your appetite for the rest of the day, potentially helping you control your caloric intake and assist in weight management.
Another study5Bachman, J. L., Deitrick, R. W., & Hillman, A. R. (2016). Exercising in the Fasted State Reduced 24-Hour Energy Intake in Active Male Adults. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2016, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/1984198 also found that men who exercised on an empty stomach before breakfast ate fewer calories throughout the day.
#3: May Help You Burn More Fat
We all know that running burns calories, so it can be an effective way to lose weight, but there’s also evidence to suggest that running in the morning, specifically, may enhance fat burning.
Fasted cardio, which entails running in the morning on an empty stomach (after the overnight fast), has been shown to increase the relative percentage of fat oxidation,6Bachman, J. L., Deitrick, R. W., & Hillman, A. R. (2016). Exercising in the Fasted State Reduced 24-Hour Energy Intake in Active Male Adults. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2016, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/1984198 meaning that more of the calories you burn during the run come from stored body fat.
The energy your muscles need when you run is created by burning stored fuel, which is derived from the nutrients you consume through your diet.
Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in the skeletal muscles and liver, fat is stored as triglycerides in fat tissue, and protein forms your muscle fibers.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, an endurance-trained athlete can store up to 1,800 to 2,000 calories of fuel, primarily as glycogen, in the muscles and liver. Smaller runners might store around 1,500 calories or less.
Therefore, your glycogen stores are limited, especially compared to the abundant supply of calories stored in body fat, even in the leanest runners. When you run in the fasted state, these glycogen stores deplete more rapidly since some of the glycogen is used up overnight.
As a result, your body has little choice but to oxidize more fat to supply the energy you need for your workout.
Evidence suggests this is indeed what happens when you run in the morning on an empty stomach, and some studies7Vieira, A. F., Costa, R. R., Macedo, R. C. O., Coconcelli, L., & Kruel, L. F. M. (2016). Effects of aerobic exercise performed in fasted v. fed state on fat and carbohydrate metabolism in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition, 116(7), 1153–1164. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114516003160 show you may burn up to 20% more fat when exercising on an empty stomach.
Furthermore, one small study8Iwayama, K., Kurihara, R., Nabekura, Y., Kawabuchi, R., Park, I., Kobayashi, M., Ogata, H., Kayaba, M., Satoh, M., & Tokuyama, K. (2015). Exercise Increases 24-h Fat Oxidation Only When It Is Performed Before Breakfast. EBioMedicine, 2(12), 2003–2009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.10.029 found that exercising first thing in the morning on an empty stomach also increased overall fat oxidation over the next 24 hours.
It’s essential to note that running in the morning versus the afternoon or evening doesn’t necessarily burn more calories, but you may burn a higher percentage of the calories from fat.
#4: Starts the Day On a High Note
One of the benefits of running in the morning is that it allows you to start your day on a positive note. Not only does running feel good and leave you in a good mood, but finishing your workout in the morning is an immediate “win” or success in your day.
Especially if you can get out in the fresh air and morning sunlight for your morning workouts, it will really kickstart your day.
Getting your run done in the morning fills you with a sense of accomplishment and sets the tone for a productive, upbeat, and successful day ahead.
Some runners find that after they run in the morning, they are more likely to make better health choices for the rest of the day, have higher energy levels, feel more empowered and confident during their workday, and experience a boost in self-efficacy to tackle complex tasks on their to-do list.
#5: May Improve Your Focus
Running in the morning doesn’t just subjectively make you feel like you are already being productive because you’ve completed your workout; it can also actually increase your productivity.
Evidence suggests9Wheeler, M. J., Green, D. J., Ellis, K. A., Cerin, E., Heinonen, I., Naylor, L. H., Larsen, R., Wennberg, P., Boraxbekk, C.-J., Lewis, J., Eikelis, N., Lautenschlager, N. T., Kingwell, B. A., Lambert, G., Owen, N., & Dunstan, D. W. (2019). Distinct effects of acute exercise and breaks in sitting on working memory and executive function in older adults: a three-arm, randomised cross-over trial to evaluate the effects of exercise with and without breaks in sitting on cognition. British Journal of Sports Medicine, bjsports-2018-100168. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100168 that working out in the morning can help improve attention, working memory, and executive function throughout the entire day.
Research10Basso, J. C., & Suzuki, W. A. (2017). The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: a Review. Brain Plasticity, 2(2), 127–152. https://doi.org/10.3233/bpl-160040 also suggests that executive functions, including memory, problem-solving, decision-making, cognitive flexibility, verbal fluency, and inhibitory control, are enhanced in the two hours following exercise.
#6: Improves Your Relationship With Yourself
Some runners, particularly mothers and fathers, battle a sense of guilt about heading out the door first thing in the morning to go for a run. They worry that spending time running first thing in the morning is selfish and that they should be doing something actionable to care for their children.
However, running in the morning is a beautiful act of self-care that everyone, parents and non-parents alike, should feel comfortable embracing.
When you run first thing in the morning, you demonstrate to yourself that your health and well-being are a priority. In this way, running in the morning is indeed about self-care and wellness.
“Self-care” gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes, as if it’s really just psychobabble for self-indulgence.
However, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health,11National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Caring for your Mental Health. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health self-care reduces stress, strengthens your immune system and helps you avoid getting sick, and increases your energy and sense of well-being.
Running in the morning isn’t selfish: it’s a way of ensuring you’re mentally and physically healthy and energized enough to take care of your loved ones, including your children, other family members, and friends.
For all runners, one of the benefits of running in the morning is that this act of self-care demonstrates to yourself that your health and well-being are a priority.
#7: Can Improve Your Sleep
It’s vital to get high-quality sleep every night, and enough of it, yet millions of adults struggle with inadequate or poor sleep.
Studies suggest12Collier, S., Fairbrother, K., Cartner, B., Alley, J., Curry, C., Dickinson, D., & Morris, D. (2014). Effects of exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure in prehypertensives. Vascular Health and Risk Management, 691. https://doi.org/10.2147/vhrm.s73688 that one of the benefits of an early morning run rather than evening workouts is that it can improve your sleep quality.
Exercise increases body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, which have favorable effects on the body’s circadian rhythm and time spent in each stage of sleep when performed early in the day as opposed to at the end of the day.
Another study also found that exercising in the morning, when compared to exercising in the afternoon or evening, improved the quality of sleep more significantly, especially in the later hours of sleep.
#8: Can Help You Get Your Steps In
Of course, at any time of day you choose to run, you’ll get lots of great physical activity and accumulate steps.
However, some runners forget that their total daily physical activity probably needs to extend beyond just their designated running workout, depending on the distance they run and their overall health.
In other words, if you really want to optimize your health, just doing a 30-minute morning jog every day isn’t necessarily enough to completely offset the risks associated with being completely sedentary the rest of the day.
It’s important to move your body throughout the day, including various physical activities of daily living in addition to running.
The good news is there’s evidence to suggest13Hanlon, B., Larson, M. J., Bailey, B. W., & LeCheminant, J. D. (2012). Neural response to pictures of food after exercise in normal-weight and obese women. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44(10), 1864–1870. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31825cade5 that people who exercise in the morning tend to exert more energy throughout the day, perhaps because knowing your workout is behind you frees you to be more active without feeling you need to “save” energy for your run.
#9: Prepares You for Most Races
The majority of marathons and other road races take place in the morning, so one benefit of running in the morning is that you can better prepare for your upcoming race.
Most coaches recommend simulating race conditions as closely as possible during training, including practicing running at the same pace as you will during the actual race.
This enables you to rehearse your fueling strategy and get accustomed to how your body feels and performs soon after waking up.
Many runners who initially switch to morning runs or only run in the morning, especially on race day, often feel stiff, sluggish, and groggy when they first get going.
With practice, your body can become accustomed to kicking into gear more quickly, making you feel strong, sharp, and coordinated as you run.
If you do long runs or hard workouts in the morning, you can also use these training sessions to experiment with which foods settle well in your stomach and provide sustainable energy without leaving you bloated or needing to use the bathroom.
#10: Promotes Consistency
Although for some runners, their workout is one of the highlights of the day, and they eagerly await getting their miles in, many runners struggle with motivation and sticking to their exercise routine.
One of the top benefits of running in the morning is that it can improve consistency and adherence to your workout regimen.
When your run is one of the first “to-dos” on your docket for the day, there’s a better chance that you’ll be able to get it done without other responsibilities arising and derailing your plans.
Even with the best intentions, if your run is planned for the afternoon or evening, you might find yourself buried under unforeseen responsibilities that crop up instead of running with your friends or hitting the trails for a nice solo long run.
A study on overweight exercisers14Schumacher, L. M., Thomas, J. G., Raynor, H. A., Rhodes, R. E., & Bond, D. S. (2020). Consistent Morning Exercise May Be Beneficial for Individuals With Obesity. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 48(4), 201–208. https://doi.org/10.1249/JES.0000000000000226 found that a consistent morning exercise routine improves exercise adherence and weight loss.
#11: May Reduce Blood Pressure
We kicked off this list of the top benefits of running in the morning by suggesting that doing so might reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular emergencies.
And, while there isn’t a direct study demonstrating that in a cause-and-effect manner, exercising in the morning has been shown15Wheeler, M. J., Dunstan, D. W., Ellis, K. A., Cerin, E., Phillips, S., Lambert, G., Naylor, L. H., Dempsey, P. C., Kingwell, B. A., & Green, D. J. (2019). Effect of Morning Exercise With or Without Breaks in Prolonged Sitting on Blood Pressure in Older Overweight/Obese Adults. Hypertension, 73(4), 859–867. https://doi.org/10.1161/hypertensionaha.118.12373 to be a more effective way to manage hypertension (high blood pressure), which often underlies heart attacks and cardiovascular events.
So, next time you feel like hitting the snooze button and pushing your run off until later in the day, think back to these benefits of running in the morning and see if you can summon the motivation to go for a run.
If mornings are just impossible due to scheduling, check out our guides on how to sneak in a lunch run:
