What is the best time of the day to exercise according to scientists? Is there a best time to workout? Good news is that both morning and evening workouts have their benefits. If you are not a morning person, or someone who would wake up at 6 am to go for a run, you can get your exercise after work as well. The benefits are still there. However, exercising at different times of the day has different benefits.
If you are looking to lose weight, exercising in the morning is the best solution. It’s not easy to develop a habit of exercising right after waking up and before even eating your breakfast, but if you do, you will feel better throughout the day and lose weight with ease. Cardio on a full stomach can cause discomfort while exercising before eating can help you lose weight while avoiding discomfort.
Some studies showed that fasted training is better than fed training if you want to control your appetite and improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. From the other side, other studies did not show that exercising after or before eating has any impact on weight loss. It’s up to you to decide whether you feel better exercising after or before a meal.
When to Exercise?
For some, mornings may be the best time of the day to maintain a consistent workout schedule since in the evening there is always something else to do and a long day at work can kill your willpower to workout in the evening. If you ever went to the gym at 5.30 am, you know that rush feeling after a cardio workout.
Many who hit the gym in late hours of the day believe that’s the main thing that keeps them awake. It’s like drinking a black coffee half an hour before going to bed. However, scientifically there is not much truth to that. Studies have shown that weightlifting or cardio workouts do not have any effect on our sleeping pattern weather we workout in the morning or evening. The fact that you exercise could help you go to sleep easier and quicker, and it doesn’t depend on what time of the day you are exercising.
The most important thing when it comes to workout is consistency (like with anything else in life).
If you are not a morning person, evening workouts have many benefits. Your body temperature rises throughout the day and warm muscles are more flexible, therefore, the risk of injury is lower. Evenings are great for a higher-intensity workout schedule.
Testosterone levels are higher later in the day than they are in the morning. For that reason, any resistance exercise or strength training is more effective in the late afternoon or evening hours. This refers to both men and women. Also, cortisol (the stress hormone) which stores fat is the highest in the morning and it goes down during the day. One study showed that a workout at 6 pm is better than those at 6 am to boost your energy. We’ve all been there. You come home from work at 6 and you don’t feel like doing anything that you don’t have to. Eat, shower and watch Netflix, but if you decide to hit the gym, that evening will look completely different to you. You will be full of energy for the rest of the day.
In the end, the best time to exercise depends on your goals and your natural rhythm. The most important part is consistency. Pick the best time of the day and everything else will come a little bit easier.
