Here’s When It’s Best to Exercise in the Morning (or Evening)
Science says the best time to exercise is in the morning, no wait, in the evening! If you’re looking for the best time to exercise, you’ll find research to back up each of your options. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each option so you can decide what works best for your schedule.
Why there is no scientifically “best” time to exercise
As with any scientific question, there are many scientific answers . One recent study found that in a group of Australians with a BMI over 30 (mean age 62.2), those who did most of their aerobic exercise in the evening had lower rates of mortality, cardiovascular disease and microvascular disease than people who did most of their aerobic exercise in the evening. their exercises are in the morning or at noon.
Of course, this is not the only study ever conducted on this topic. Just a few months earlier, another study found that people who exercised in the morning tended to have a slightly lower BMI (25.9 vs. 27.2) compared to those who exercised in the evening.
If you start reading all the research on exercise timing, you’ll find a lot more seemingly contradictory evidence. One study even broke down the results, saying women get some benefits from morning exercise, other benefits from evening exercise, and men get (still different) benefits from evening exercise. Since the study only included 36 people, I’m going to take these specific results with a grain of salt.
Ultimately, the most important thing to know about exercise timing is what the authors of this review on exercise timing wrote in their conclusion: “It is important to note that exercise at any time of day provides greater benefits than no exercise.”
The benefits of morning workouts
Morning workouts are a classic sign of a motivated person. The arguments for working out in the morning come down to productivity and time management, which often trump any biological benefits.
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You know that you will have time to adjust it . If work gets busy or you feel tired at the end of the day, these problems won’t stop you from working out—you’re already done.
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You can get a boost of mood and energy for the rest of the day. Experiences vary, but many people find that morning exercise helps their mental health throughout the morning or even throughout the day.
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Morning exercise outdoors will help train your circadian clock. If you exercise outdoors, such as jogging, it also helps you get sunlight. Morning light helps your body’s clock move in the right direction, which in turn helps you feel sleepy at night.
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You can drink caffeine before training. Pre-workout caffeine powders (or energy drinks or coffee) will help you focus better and work harder in the gym. But drinking caffeine late in the day can ruin your sleep. So if you want to use a strong pre-workout, consider working out in the morning.
So if you want to improve your sleep, have more energy in the morning and throughout the day, and consume caffeine during your workout, morning exercise may be the best option for you. Mornings are also great for people whose schedules during the day can be unpredictable. But don’t set your alarm early just yet—evening workouts also have their benefits.
The benefits of evening workouts
Evening workouts make a lot of sense for many of us, including those (like me) who find it difficult to move in the morning. Consider these benefits of evening workouts:
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You can’t oversleep and miss a workout. If you are a night owl by nature, this can be a real problem.
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You may be able to concentrate better once the work day is over. Making time for a long workout or mustering up the energy for an intense workout can sometimes be easier if most of the day’s tasks are already completed.
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You will be better fed. It can be difficult to get energized before your morning workout. If you exercise in the evening, you may have to adjust the exact timing—for example, a snack before your workout and dinner after—but at least you’ll have something in your belly.
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Your performance may be better. In the evening, your body temperature tends to be higher, and some studies show slight increases in performance in both strength and oxidative capacity (which relates to your ability to burn fuel for energy). This may mean it’s easier for you to see how your fitness is reflected in how heavy you can lift or how fast you can run.
So if you find it difficult to wake up early, eat for a morning workout, or find the time and focus to exercise before starting your day, evening workouts are best for you.
How to solve
One of these options probably tells you more than the other. It can be as simple as finding out whether you are more of a morning person or a night owl. It may also be easy for you to make the decision if you only have one good time to exercise in your daily schedule. Whenever it is—even if it’s noon or 2 a.m.—a smart schedule is something you can stick to. At the end of the day, if your morning workout is perfect but you never seem to get it done, you don’t need to stick to morning workouts.
You also don’t have to consider yourself to be in one camp or the other. You can train on Monday and Thursday mornings and sleep on Tuesdays and Fridays so you can train in the evening on those days. Or perhaps you change your schedule depending on the time of year: jogging at dawn in the summer is great, but jogging at 6am in the winter is no fun in the dark and snow. Choose what makes sense to you.