By now, we should all know that working out is an important part of an overall health plan. A poor diet, high stress and a sedentary lifestyle can directly contribute to sickness, disease, a poor immune system, and even depression.
Working out doesn’t have to be a big deal — you can do it at the gym, at home, or at a park. There are lots of ways to work out.
The American Heart Association is pretty nonchalant about when is the best time — they say that any time is a good time.
According to their interview with Russell Pate, M.D., professor of exercise science in the Arnold School of Public Health, at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, “The best time of the day is when you will do it most consistently, because the benefits of physical activity are tightly linked to the amount you do on a consistent basis.”
But some parts of the day are better than others for most people. Is it better for your lifestyle to exercise at night? Or is early morning better? How about during the day?
Let’s look at the pros and cons of each, so you can decide for yourself.
Early Morning Workouts
The first good thing about working out early is that you get it over with, and can get on with your day. No excuses later on as to why you didn’t exercise. But more, it can rev up your metabolism so that you’re burning calories hours after you leave the gym.
You arrive at the gym feeling fresh from sleep the night before and are burning stored fat, not sugars and carbs you’ve eaten that day.
There are cons, however. You’ll need to get up very early. Gyms are really busy early in the morning with many opening at 5 a.m., so you may have to wait for machines. If you're taking classes, you may have to commit to an hour.
Getting kids off to school, the need to shower and get ready for work after a workout, as well as facing a commute, may be enough reasons for many to leave the gym for later on in the day.
Working Out During the Day
This is a great time for people who are stay-at-home parents, work-from-home parents, or who work nights. Those on second or third shifts have mid-morning or late afternoon to get their exercise in before they start work.
The benefit of this is that they also get their workouts before work and can show up energized. If they're doing this outdoors, they can get much needed sunlight — something shift workers often lack because they sleep during the day.
Gyms and parks are often much quieter during the day, allowing easy access to machines, equipment and weights. Swimming pools are also far less crowded.
Many gyms have childcare so stay-at-home and work-from-home parents can avail themselves of this benefit.
One con to remember is that if you love fitness classes or yoga/Pilates, afternoon classes are often few and far between. You may also socialize less, and working out is often a much-loved social gathering for many.
Evening and Late-Night Options
Work from early morning throughout the day? Take the stress of your work day, or your day filled with caring for children, to the gym or the great outdoors! Classes abound at this time.You can take your pick from almost anything your gym offers.
Evening workouts burn away the stresses of the day. And those who don't have a huge need to rush home may do some socializing, which can also make the evening a lot of fun. Go for power walks with neighbors, play tennis or softball, or meet workout buddies at the gym cafeteria after your session is done.
Showering at the gym can also give you a head start the next morning if your prefer to shower at night. You’ll save on water costs at home, too!
The downside, obviously, is that there is sometimes a significant wait for lap lanes, machines and the like, and you may not enjoy the crowds. Classes can also be full, allowing for less personal attention than the daytime exercisers can enjoy.
Aquatics are often limited to crowded lap swimming rather than the fun and less pressured activities of aqua aerobics or other water-inspired exercise.
If you want the science on this, morning workouts tend to come out slightly ahead. This is due in part to an increase in metabolism throughout the day. And getting it over with early takes away the day’s opportunities to cause distractions and other needs that can pop up. People tend to stick with morning routines more easily than routines later in the day.
Women’s Health interviewed Lara Carlson, Ph.D., associate professor of applied exercise science at the University of New England.
"For weight loss, it's more controversial, but there's research that has looked at people engaging in morning versus afternoon exercise, and those who exercise in the morning have lower blood pressure throughout the day and get better sleep," she said.
“Sleep is when your body repairs itself, and sleep also reduces stress, which may affect your weight—and I think future research will begin to tie the benefits of morning exercise together better.” If she had to choose, Carlson would say to work out in the morning.
Take stock of what works for you, bearing in mind your work schedule, your own natural body clock, your family needs, and your general preferences when it comes to exercise.
It’s important to work out, regardless of when. With busy lives, people who work out at least every other day are doing something right.
Do what’s best for you, based on your life. Night owls can exercise at night and morning people can hit the gym by 7 a.m. As long as you’re working out regularly, you’re doing OK.
Sources:
The American Heart Association. Getting Healthy. Physical Activity. “When is the best time of day to work out?” Web. Retrieved Sept 2nd, 2015.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/When-Is-th...
Women’s Health. Fitness. “ Truth About What Time of Day You Should Work Out.” Web. Retrieved Sept 2nd, 2015.
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/best-time-to-work-out
Reviewed September 4, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith