Morning or Evening? How Should Busy People Pick The Optimal Time To Work Out

Should you exercise in the morning or evening?

This is one of those debates that could go on indefinitely, much like the “chicken or the egg” conundrum. However, we will say that working out in the morning or evening is always good for your health even if one time slot has advantages over the other. We will be giving you some of the pros and cons of each so you can decide for yourself which time of the day is ideal for your needs.

The Pros of A Morning Workout

When you wake up, all of your muscles are relaxed and you’re likely to feel lethargic – exercise is the perfect remedy for this. Furthermore, a morning workout wakes you entire body up, including your metabolism. This means you’re more likely to lose weight when exercising in the morning as opposed to the evening. Moreover, if you don’t eat a big breakfast (especially not carbs) you will burn even more fat, according to PubMed studies.

A different study by Appalachian State University found that exercising at 7 a.m. lowers your blood pressure and improves sleep quality.

The Bad Points of Working Out in The Morning

You need to have the motivation to get up early each and every day. It’s too easy to hit the snooze button when the alarm goes off! It’s worth keeping in mind that you will probably have to get up earlier than normal if you want to exercise properly. You should also note that mornings can sometimes be hectic, especially if you have to go into work earlier than normal, which means you might be tempted to avoid exercising from time to time.

Evening Workouts Have Some Advantages

If you’ve had a stressful day at work, exercising is the ideal way to take your mind off things. On top of this, your body has had a chance to wake up and all of your muscles will be ready for the most strenuous of workouts. A study conducted by the American College of Chest Physicians found that your lungs are at peak performance in the late afternoon, making exercising much easier.

One final point about working out in the evening: it can also help you get to sleep! We said earlier that morning workouts are best for getting a good night’s sleep, but if you exercise at least two hours before bedtime, you should find that sleep comes just as easily since you’re burning off excess energy and calories. However, exercising too close to bedtime will likely have the opposite effect so try not to leave it too late!

The Cons of Evening Workouts

Sometimes when you’ve had an exhausting day at work, any kind of exercise is the last thing on your mind. We’ve all had days like this. It’s unavoidable, unfortunately. You might also have some unexpected family commitments to attend to after work, means that going to the gym isn’t possible. This general lack of control over what might happen each evening makes it more likely that people will skip workouts, and once people miss too many they might stop exercising completely.

Okay, so what’s the best time to exercise?

If you want to lose weight and maintain a strict schedule, morning workout is probably your best option. If, however, you want to exercise when your body is most alert and optimized for performance, evening workout might be preferred. Of course, it’s important to note that everyone is different – some people are naturally morning people, while others are night owls – so, your optimal time might be suited to a particular time of the day regardless of what scientific evidence says.

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