BY SANDRA GUY

Feeling foggy, especially if you’re isolated at home? Struggling to gear up for a new class schedule?

Research shows a morning exercise routine can boost your memory and alertness, and keep your body burning calories.

But you’ll need to step it up to get the full benefits.

Experts at the University of North Carolina found “very hard exercise” was almost twice as beneficial as “moderate” exercise on cognitive performance. Research in runners’ magazines also has shown that improved heart health can require as much as two hours of intense exercise several days a week.

That means the best morning exercise routine combines pushups, jump squats and walking lunges with strength training, such as doing planks and lifting weights.

If exercising seems daunting, try learning new ways to move. Online searches turn up free lessons ranging from dancing to stationary biking to HIIT (high-intensity interval training).

As a daily morning exercise fanatic myself, I say, Go for it!

Nothing will interrupt your plan, and the exercise burst will help you deal with whatever the day brings.