When is the Best Time to Exercise | Fitness & Exercise Guide, Tips, Hacks

When it comes to working out, many ask, when is the best time to exercise? For some, waking up in the morning to do some exercise is like clockwork. But for others, doing this is unimaginable.

You might wonder, what is the best time for exercising? Is there a better time to do it for you to reap benefits faster? The answer is: the best time to work out depends on you.

When is the Best Time to Exercise?

It will depend on your preference. Some might feel more energetic after they exercise in the morning. Smoke might be avoiding working out in the afternoon because it can disrupt their sleeping patterns. Some might only have the afternoon to exercise. Whenever it may be, only one thing is important: you have to do it consistently.

To put things to perspective, here are some of the advantages of working out in the morning or the afternoon:

Advantages of Working out in the Afternoon

You’re already warmed up

One of the advantages of an afternoon workout is your body’s core temperature. Our body temperature rises throughout the day and peaks during the afternoon. This helps warm up the muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance.

Unlike in the morning, there can be some stiffness in the muscles, making you susceptible to sprains.

You may have Better Reaction Time.

For some younger adults, their reaction time is the fastest during the afternoon. For them, playing an open-skill game like basketball and soccer is ideally done in the afternoon as these activities require quick thinking and moving.

Hormones Might be Helping

Our bodies produce more testosterone during the late afternoon. Testosterone is important for muscle growth and strength and stamina.

Also, cortisol, the stress hormone, tends to decrease throughout the day. Cortisol is a hormone that aids in the storage of fat and the reduction of muscle tissue.

You may Burn more Calories

One study showed that the body burns most calories in the afternoon hours, specifically if done after lunch.

Advantages of Working out in the Morning

You can be more consistent.

Working out in the morning could mean doing it first before you do anything else. This can lead you to be more consistent. Plus, you will have all the energy to do it.

However, doing it the afternoon after a long day’s work could result in you being too tired to even hit the gym. There are also times when we have to do overtime work, and we’ll be left with no willpower to do our exercise.

Having no willpower or being drained out for the day can take a serious toll on the gym-goer’s best intentions. We’ve all been there – everything in the things to do are checked except doing exercise.

You may experience better sleep.

You might have a better sleeping experience when you work out in the morning. When you do exercise, you’ll have more energy to do work. When work is done, you can just snooze off after reaching home.

You’ll be less hungry.

Results if several studies tell us that exercise can help control your appetite after work out. If you want to keep it this way throughout the day, then a morning workout is a better fit for you.

You may burn more fat.

It’s also a known fact that your body burns more on an empty stomach. When you wake up in the morning, you’re probably not going to eat a lot before heading out. This makes it easier to do.

Conclusion

Things can work out differently for people. We have our lifestyle and circumstances that would prevent us or allow us to do our exercise at certain times. Some perform better at night; some are most productive in the morning.

Again, the key to reap the gains of your workout is to be consistent. If you hit the gym at 5 in the afternoon, then be consistent in doing so. Studies show that our bodies can adapt to regular exercise as it can change the circadian rhythm.