What’s the BEST time of day to workout?

The best time of day for you to get your exercise in, is – drumroll…

Whenever you can!

I realize that’s not what you came here for, and we’ll get to some pros and cons in a sec, but:

If you’re tight on time (like every human alive seems to be), then finding a time that works for you is by far the most important.

Exercising consistently is more important than time of day, length of workout, type of workout, etc.

What matters is that you’re showing up consistently, even if it’s just for a quickie!

Why time of day doesn’t matter:

1.     If your schedule and demands vary day to day

2.     If your energy levels vary depending on the day

3.     If you’re stopping yourself from moving your body because “___ time of day would be better”

Why time of day can matter:

1.     If you can find a consistent time most days that you can dedicate to a workout that works (this is ideal!)

2.     If you know that certain times of day are jam-packed with other shit…not a good time to plan on working out

3.     If it negatively affects your sleep

4.     If it negatively affects your life (loss of valuable time with the kiddos or your partner, for example)

I’ll say it one more time for those in the back –

The absolute best time of day to exercise is the time you can stick to for days, weeks, months.

If there’s not a specific time for your lifestyle, then roll with the punches and change it up. So long as you keep showing up at the frequency your schedule can handle.

Because exercising consistently is what gets you all the benefits (better sleep, strength gains, mobility improvements, weight loss, increased energy, and so on)

And your body will adapt to whatever routine you give it.

(Plus your body LOVES routine, but we’ll tackle that topic another day.)

MORNING WORKOUTS

Research does give morning workouts the “gold standard”

Here’s some PROS to morning workouts:

• You’re statistically more likely to stick to your routine if you workout in the mornings. Less things “come up” and you’ll have less time to make excuses for find other “better” or “more important” things to do instead.

• Morning workouts can impact your sleep positively.

  • Your circadian rhythm has been shown to improve when you have a regular wake time period, but even more so when you get your workout in first thing. It helps you “wake up” and get a jump-start in the AM and it will make you feel sleepier in the PM so you don’t spend hours scrolling Instagram (I see you!)

  • You can get more deep sleep by exercising in the morning versus the evening, so you’ll feel more rested. This can also impact your strength gains because muscle growth and repair happens when we’re snoozin.

• If fat burning is a priority, morning exercise can give you an edge.

  • Workouts while in a fasted state (AKA no food in your belly) is proven to burn more fat than doing so after a meal. Fueling that AM workout comes directly from fat stores versus more easily accessible fat that’s floatin around from your meal.

  • Research also shows that fat burn lasts longer when you exercise in the morning, so that workout works for you for longer post-workout than a PM sweat sesh.

• Increased energy from a morning workout means more productivity during the day. Working out in the morning has been shown to increase alertness and focus as well as improve decision making.

• Getting those feel-good endorphins going first thing in the morning can boost your mood long past your workout. Who wants to be sleeping through that exercise high?

There can be some CONS to morning workouts, though:

• By exercising in a “fasting” state, you could be feeling hungry or overall low on fuel (literally). If you have a high metabolism or don’t eat enough in the evening, waking up starving and then working is not only no-fun, but you likely won’t get as much out of it.

  • If the AM workouts are still what you’re needing, have a quick snack beforehand – something small in quantity but packs a carb and protein punch to get you to your “second breakfast” (and who doesn’t love second-breakfast?!)

• Similarly, you can be quite dehydrated in the mornings, which leads to the same lethargic and MEH vibes to a morning workout. It can impact your performance but also cause other discomforts or problems for you (like dizziness/lightheadedness).

  • While chugging a bunch of water right before your workout likely won’t feel the most comfortable (especially on an empty stomach), if you can drink a glass of water first thing – by the time you’re actually pressing play on your workout, you should be good to go!

• Sleep may be poorly impacted. Depending on your circadian rhythms and your schedule, a super early morning wake up call may fall during a “deep sleep” cycle. This should shift with consistency, but some folks just aren’t early risers, and that’s A-OK

  • If you feel super groggy first thing or feel like you’re chronically fatigued, try working out at a different time or maybe remove something you can from your morning routine so you can sleep in a bit more.

• Performance is less in the mornings. You’ll be more stiff and groggy, and studies show that strength is less in the mornings. This is not a problem if you’re not training for a Strong Man competition, but beware that a workout that felt relatively easy in the PM will feel a whole helluva lot different in the mornings.

• Longer warm up times are necessary. Your core temp is low from sleeping (that’s normal and good) but it means that your muscles will need more time to get with the program. You’re more prone to injury if you just jump right to it and aren’t listening to your body.

  • Your heartrate is also slower in the mornings (again – normal and healthy), but you’ll need a slower start and longer time frame to get your cardiovascular system ready for the work at hand.

AFTERNOON AND EVENING WORKOUTS

While AM workouts are shown by the books to be better overall, there’s really something to be said for “readiness to exercise”.

A lot of the cons above relate to this – we’re just not ready to workout first thing!

We have our highest energy mid-day (10-2 ish depending on the person) and while most of us can’t workout during this time frame, it’s still an important aspect to note.

This “readiness” can fade slightly by the afternoon hours, especially as the stresses and responsibilities of our day weighs heavier, but overall – your body and mind are more primed for working out.

PROS for non-morning workouts:

• You’ll feel stronger and faster. Research confirms that people physically function better later in the day. Flexibility, strength (both power and endurance) are all better in the evening than in the mornings. You’ll be able to workout harder and likely longer (insert dirty joke here) with just as much FEELING of effort.

• You’re warmer. Your literal temp is warmer in the afternoon, and you’ll likely be able to physically and mentally get into your workout groove more quickly with less warm up time.

• Hormone levels, specifically testosterone, can benefit you in the evenings. We typically produce more of this in the evenings, and it can help with both performance and with muscle building if that’s something that’s on your radar.

• PM workouts are great for stress relief. This is a biggie for me - working out after work or in the evening is hugely helpful for me to shake off the day and get a little “reset”. Those feel-good endorphins can help us cope with the stress of the day and give us a kick of energy to last the rest of the night before beddy bye.

• You’ll be less able/likely/willing to succumb to bad habits with afternoon and evening workouts. Instead of coming home and having a beer and some Doritos (talking about myself), or plopping down and turning on the TV (also me) – you’ll be doing something healthier that’ll make your body and brain happier.

CONS with afternoon and evening exercise:

We get a little redundant here (as pros and cons lists tend to do), but it’s important to note anyway!

• Sleep can be negatively impacted with PM workouts.

  • Research has debunked the commonly-found statement that working out at night is detrimental to your sleep. BUT: intense exercise like HIIT or CrossFit or a super hard weight lifting session can make you jittery before bed. More gentle or slow exercise, however, can actually be helpful for sleep. Everyone is different, so you do you, boo!

• Consistency is harder in the afternoons. You’re too tired, you’ve got too much adulting to do, that Ben & Jerry’s is too tempting to pass up, you want to hang out with your kid cuz you missed them during your workday. The excuses run rampant in the afternoon – and they’re not just excuses - they’re totally legit! They do F up consistency though, and like I mentioned (a few times), consistency is the number one predictor of improvement.

So what’s best?

Just as in every other damn thing, we are all unique.

Our bodies and brains are all different, our lives are different (both from one another’s and depending on different seasons of your own life)

1. Try to decide on a time that works for your schedule or your body’s rhythms. That may be the same or a similar time or different depending on the day of the week.

2. Try that schedule out

3. Adjust as needed. Adjust the time, the length or type of workout, etc.

4. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Showing up for yourself is hard enough with all the stressors and demands life throws at you. So don’t stress the details, don’t hyperfocus on “what’s best” based on some dumb article I wrote.

I say it all the time, but it bears repeating:

Do what’s best for YOU.

Listen to your body and brain and you’ll never go wrong.

References:

1.     Human circadian phase-response curves for exercise.  https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/JP276943

2.     Relationship of consistency in timing of exercise performance and exercise levels among successful weight loss maintainers. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.22535

3.     The effect of training at a specific time of day: A review. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2012/07000/The_Effect_of_Training_at_a_Specific_Time_of_Day__.33.aspx

4.     Effects of resistance exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25426516/

5.     Effects of aerobic exercise performed in fasted v. fed state on fat and carbohydrate metabolism in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effects-of-aerobic-exercise-performed-in-fasted-v-fed-state-on-fat-and-carbohydrate-metabolism-in-adults-a-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/0EA2328A0FF91703C95FD39A38716811

6.     Exercise increases 24-h fat oxidation only when it is performed during breakfast. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4703705/

7.     Distinct effects of acute exercise and breaks in sitting on working memory and executive function in older adults: a three-arm, randomized cross-over trial to evaluate the effects of exercise with and without breaks in sitting on cognition. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/13/776

8.     Morning and evening exercise. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5481716/

9.     The influence of the time of day on core temperature and lower body power output in elite rugby union sevens players. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24149752/

10.   Effects of evening exercise on sleep in healthy participants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-018-1015-0

11.   Morning-evening differences in response to exhaustive severe-intensity exercise. https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2013-0140#.XpXjYshKhPZ

12.   Interactions of cortisol, testosterone, and resistance training: influence of circadian rhythms. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/07420521003778773

13.   The effects of acute exercise on mood, cognition, neurophysiology, and neurochemical pathways: a review. https://content.iospress.com/articles/brain-plasticity/bpl160040

14.   Effects of vigorous late-night exercise on sleep quality and cardiac autonomic activity. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20673290/