When Is The Best Time To Workout?

Just like eating and drinking, doing exercise is a must and the timing of your workout is equally important. To make it a constant part of a busy schedule, some people choose to fit exercise before work, while some can only exercise after work. Yet, the question is – is it about personal preference or is there really a perfect time in the day for a workout?

Fact is, there isn’t a certain time that allows a person to score the biggest calorie burn. However, the time can impact how a person feels when exercising. Let’s see what science says about it.

Pros and Cons of Morning Workouts

Morning is the best time to exercise because it’s linked with the idea of fasted state workout (before breakfast exercise). When people perform an exercise on an empty stomach, they burn more stored fat. Eventually, this means more weight loss. Since you have very little glycogen in your muscles and liver in the morning time, it’s better to choose cardio or fast pace walking over lifting weights. Hitting the weights in the morning can also accelerate muscle loss rather than fat loss.

Not only morning sweat is good to enhance productivity throughout the day, but it’s also the best way to relieve stress. Research also proves that those who perform the workout in the morning time are likely to eat less throughout the day. In the morning, body temperature tends to be comparatively lower than other parts of the day. This depicts that the body will take more time to warm up than at other times of the day.

Morning exercise tends to be more feasible. Since the body needs a consistent exercise habit, a morning exercise routine can help you get into this habit. In case, you are a night owl, don’t force it. Have a realistic approach. After all, it’s about the body’s circadian rhythm which determines the body’s readiness for exercise. For such people, exercising in the morning would not be a good idea as they won’t enjoy doing it.

Pros and Cons of Working-out in the Afternoon

Since everyone follows a different schedule, there are some who only get the opportunity to execute workouts during a busy workday. Don’t fret if you belong to this category. There are many perks associated with exercising in the afternoon. While morning exercises are more appropriate for losing weight and burning calories, afternoon exercises may give your energy or your performance a boost. Doing exercise in the afternoon time can help in speeding up the metabolism, get the body moving and feeling healthy.

At noontime, variation in body temperature occurs. Basically, body temperature lies at its peak during the afternoon. This rise in body temperature is linked with increased strength, which makes it a good time to work at a higher intensity. People who do workouts in the afternoon are more likely to burn more energy.

However, it’s suggested not to exercise immediately after taking lunch. Give a break of good 90 minutes after a meal. Research has also highlighted that late afternoon is the best time to exercise. This is because of a desirable proportion of testosterone to cortisol exits during that time of the day.

Pros and Cons of Exercise Session in the Evening

To perform the exercise in the morning is great, but it doesn’t mean you can’t do a workout after 5 pm. In fact, there is a number of studies that show the benefits of evening exercises. While some studies suggest that evening workouts can make it difficult to fall asleep, yet there are some who claim that people who exercise in the evening set themselves for higher quality sleep. For instance, meditation exercises like yoga can improve sleep quality when done at night.

There’s evidence that shows nighttime workouts can also help in weight loss. According to recent research, nighttime exercises are less likely to impact sleep whether it’s a high-intensity workout or not. Subjects who performed exercises in the evening time were reported to sleep for similar hours as compared to the morning, or afternoon exerciser. Early evening workouts also result in less production of the hormone ghrelin – which is a hormone related to hunger. Thus, it also helps exercisers to avoid overeating.

Apart from many benefits, there are some drawbacks to evening workouts. Since evening is all about meeting with friends or going out for dinner, people will find going out more tempting than working out.

So, When is the better time to exercise and why?

Yes, there’s an optimal time to perform the workout. We often get to hear that morning is the best time to exercise in order to get better results. Based on studies, the body’s core temperature is a key factor to consider while scheduling workouts. Compared to morning workouts, research proves that afternoon workouts tend to be the best time to exercise. In the afternoon, the body is more hydrated, fueled with energy, and notably, the core temperature is at maximum. This is how working out in the afternoon trumps morning sweat sessions.

To Sum It Up

At the end of the day, it’s not about the early bird gets the worm or gentle stretching after a busy day. It’s more about your choice and preference. The best time to exercise should be what seems more appropriate to an individual and the one that suits their busy schedule.

For early risers, morning is the best time to exercise while for others it could be a stressful situation. Likewise, working out in the evening may help some in getting rid of stress, but doing it just before going to bed may impact the sleep cycle.

To keep it short, making time out for physical activity is important. Choose a time when you can perform the most effectively, whether it is during the day, noon or night. Make sure to schedule the workouts around the same time of day every day. This will allow the body to specifically adapt to and prepare for exercising at that time. Exercise has to be a consistent part of your schedule. Set up a time to execute exercise regularly as it holds more importance than the time of the day.