Throughout the years, the topic of whether morning or evening workouts are ‘better’ for workouts has caused quite a divide among fitness enthusiasts and professionals. Although there are positives and negatives to both morning and evening workouts, it looks like timing does have an impact on performance, consistency, and as a result, outcome for health. The best times to work out will be based upon the individual’s goals, lifestyle and body period.
The Rise of Morning Workouts
Morning workouts continue to receive accolades as a good way to start a person’s day with high energy and focus. Exercising in the morning can assist individuals in regulating their body’s clock when trying to stay on track with their workout schedule. Getting your workout finished before the day’s responsibilities start piling up will also decrease a person’s likelihood of skipping the workout altogether.
The other main advantage of morning workouts is the psychological boost they provide. Morning workouts produce endorphins through physical activity which assists individuals’ moods and productivity for the entire day. Another reason why some people prefer to do their workouts in the morning is because some studies also suggest that individuals who perform fasted workouts will increase the likelihood of fat loss as a result of working out without having food in their stomachs.
In addition to providing a psychological boost, morning workouts can assist individuals in obtaining better quality sleep by aligning exercise to natural circadian rhythms which allows for an easier time falling asleep at night and maintaining a regular sleep cycle.
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Drawbacks of Early Exercise
There are some difficulties involved in morning workouts, even though there are some advantages. One big problem is that morning workouts generally result in lower physical performance. After a good night of sleep, a person’s body temperature is lower, their muscles are tighter, and their energy levels may also still be low. Because of these conditions, someone performing an activity in the morning may have less strength, flexibility, and endurance. If they do not properly warm-up before exercising, they will also increase the risk of injury.
In contrast, there are many people that are not good at getting up early in the morning. Night owls or those that go to bed late will be fatigued and experience inconsistency when attempting to establish a morning workout routine. Additionally, if someone has not gotten enough sleep, the benefits of exercising in the morning will not be realized because recovery is just as important as the actual exercise itself.
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Evening Workouts are Better
Evening workouts will be timed better with the body’s natural peak performance time. In the late afternoon through early evening, body temperature will be higher, muscles will be more flexible, and reaction times will be faster. All of these factors will contribute to better strength/endurance and overall workout performance.
A person that is interested in building muscle or who wants to become an elite athlete may benefit from evening workouts because hormones, such as testosterone, are also at a more optimum level for muscle development and recovery when done after 5 p.m. compared to exercising in the morning.
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Finding Relief from Stress
Exercise is yet another way to relieve stress. An example being at the end of a long working day you can workout, which will help you to relieve some stress and mentally prepare for your next day’s experience. Many people find that evening exercise allows them to mentally move away from the work day.
Challenges Associated with Evening Exercise
Even though evening exercise can be beneficial, there are some negatives associated with it. For example, if you are exercising close to bedtime with a high-intensity workout, then some people might find themselves having difficulty falling asleep (because they’re too wired). However, this varies from person to person.
Consistency might also be difficult with evening exercise. Evening schedules often don’t allow for consistent workouts. With work commitments, social obligations, and fatigue; it might be easier to miss an opportunity to exercise vs a structured morning workout.
Additionally, gyms and other fitness centers tend to be considerably more crowded in the evening, impacting both the quality of your workout and convenience.
What’s the Right Time for You?
Instead of determining the “best” workout time for everyone, it is recommended that you focus on the factors that are important to you with regard to timing/consistency. The best workout for you is the one you can consistently adhere to, while considering your work schedule, energy levels, and fitness objectives to determine (the right) time for you.
People looking to lose weight and establish a regular fitness schedule may find morning workouts are most beneficial for them, while those interested in maximizing their performance level and strength may prefer evening workouts. Pay attention to your body when deciding on the best workout time for yourself. Try various workout times to see what works for you.
Bottom Line
Morning and evening workouts have distinct benefits and disadvantages. Morning workouts promote a consistent exercise routine, elevate your mood, and can lead to better quality and longer sleep; evening workouts can lead to increased levels of performance, strength and stress relief. There is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ workout schedule; thus the only thing that matters is your ability to develop a routine that will fit into your lifestyle.
Consistency matters more than the actual time of day you exercise. Whether you decide to work out during the daytime or during the nighttime hours, maintaining an ongoing level of fitness and a routine for regular physical activity is the most important factor towards achieving long-term health and physical fitness.
