Best time of day to exercise
Well well well, I really care about this topic because my whole life I have been trying to exercise at all different hours of the day, and there are pros and cons for every time. I did some research, and have summarized what I’ve learned about how your body reacts based on different workout schedules.
Morning Workout
When we talk about morning workouts, it means sometime between 6 am and 9 am. There are many benefits to exercising at this time of day, the main drawback being that we need to get up earlier.
The first benefit is you’ll get your workout done and over with before you even start your day. That means you’ll begin your day with endorphins, and a good feeling knowing you accomplished something before 9 a.m. that some people won’t accomplish all day. And that’s a huge ego boost. Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about working out later in the afternoon or evening. This can be a relief, leaving time for cooking dinner, socializing with friends, and just plain relaxing.
In the early morning hours, you have a hormonal profile that would predispose you to better metabolism of fat. People naturally have elevated levels of cortisol and growth hormone in the morning—both of which are involved in metabolism—so you’ll draw more of your energy from your fat reserves. Research also suggests that morning exercisers may have less of an appetite throughout the day, which could also help protect them from putting on pounds.In addition, morning training can increase metabolism, which means you’ll continue to burn calories throughout the day as you consume them rather than at night while you’re sleeping.
Midday Workout
Midday workouts are sometime between 10 am and 4 pm. I honestly love this part of the day to exercise, but not everyone has the luxury of being available to do it. If you are an entrepreneur or you have flexible hours, I would recommend making your schedule around midday workouts. Your body is well warmed up, you’ve already completed some tasks in your day, but you likely are needing a break.
An afternoon workout can also be a great way to avoid an end-of-the-day slump. Some studies have found that exercising between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. can shift your body clock forward in the same way as an early morning workout. Even taking a quick walk may help you perk up and refocus.
Other studies found that your body’s ability to perform peaks in the afternoon. Your body temperature increases throughout the day, optimizing your muscle function and strength, enzyme activity, and endurance for performance. Between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., your body temperature is at its highest. This may mean you’ll be exercising during the window of time your body is most ready, potentially making it the most effective time of day to work out.
In addition, midday workouts may help individuals get more quality sleep at night. This could strike the perfect balance of being active, yet having time to also relax in the evening.
Evening workout
In my opinion, evening sessions are the hardest from a mental point of view, but also the best window in terms of performance. The other important thing to take care of during a late evening workout is the meal - plan to avoid heavy meals after workouts that can really affect our sleeping and body shape.
Morning workouts are ideal for burning fat and losing weight, but afternoon workouts may give your performance a boost, since you’ll have eaten a meal or two by the time you get going. Any time you eat, your blood sugar levels rise. Sugar in the form of blood glucose is one of the things we need if we’re trying to work at a higher intensity. Additionally, oxygen uptake kinetics are faster in the evening, which means you use your resources more slowly and effectively than in the morning. Working out in the morning could also require adding an additional warm up to your routine, which could take away from the focus of your workout. In the afternoon and evening, your reaction is at its quickest, which is important for exercises like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or speed work on the treadmill. The late afternoon is also the time when your heart rate and blood pressure are lowest, which decreases your chance of injury while improving performance.
To sum up
In my opinion, what really matters is that you find a time of day that works for you and that fits your schedule, and then stick to it. By keeping your workout regime consistent at the same time every day, you could be making greater training gains. And isn’t that what really matters?
My first advice in order to establish an active routine is always try to find the moment of the day where it is easier to squeeze in a workout. It’s not a forever decision, and it is very possible you may need to change it again before finding your perfect schedule.
To sum up, morning workouts have the benefit of burning fat and no duties to interrupt your time. Midday sessions have refocusing and balance properties, and evenings can be the best time for excellent performance. The most important aspect that we always have to consider first is our own mental and physical needs. Only by finding our own best moment of the day will we be able to establish a long lasting routine.
