Whats the best time of the day to workout?
With busy schedules, it's important we choose the right time of our day to dedicate to our workout. We want a time that will be most optimal for our bodies. Even with a busy schedule, it's so important to set aside some time to focus on yourself which can totally be an at-home gym session. Check out our blog about how important working out is for your mental health and productivity here.
So, let’s find out: What’s the best time of the day to exercise?
Working Out in the Morning
First, 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 relaxing.
Studies show that if you are active in the morning, you are more likely to be active throughout the day. It turns out that working out in the evening can also mess with your sleep schedule making it harder to wake up in the morning.
One more argument making a case for a workout first thing in the morning is that exercising on an empty stomach could burn more fat. Exercisers can burn up to
Working out in the Afternoon, or Night
While it certainly seems like the morning is an ideal time to work out, fitting in exercise in the afternoon or after hours has its proven perks. Planning on an evening workout may mean you get some extra shuteye in the morning. But there are other benefits, too!
OneBetween 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.
Additionally, oxygen uptake kinetics are faster in the evening, which means you use your resources more slowly and effectively than in the morning.
In the afternoon and evening, your reaction time 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.
While some may caution individuals about how working out at night can disrupt your sleep, one study even found that those who lifted weights in the evening got better quality sleep and slept for longer than those who did the same workout in the morning.
The Verdict
So what time is best? While the science and studies seem contradictory, one thing is clear: Working out is important, no matter what time of day you do it.
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?
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Info for this blog was pulled from this source.