Some fitness gurus recommend working out first thing in the morning. While early workouts have their advantages, you may perform better at exercise later in the day. Our Healthy Skeptic explains why.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
The claim: Morning is the best time to exercise.
Woman: “I find I work out in the morning because if I don’t do it then I won’t do it at all. And I have more energy in the morning than I do in the evenings.”
Robert Davis: Many people prefer to work out first thing in the morning because that’s when they have fewer distractions and are more likely to make it to the gym. Plus early exercise can leave you feeling energized and ready to face the day. But if the thought of sweating at 6 am leaves you in, well, a cold sweat, you can take comfort in knowing that later workouts also have their advantages.
Studies show that we tend to perform best at exercise, especially if it’s intense, in the late afternoon or early evening.
That’s when strength and flexibility are greatest … and perceived exertion … meaning how difficult exercise feels … is lowest.
The reason is our circadian rhythm, the body’s 24-hour clock. Among other things, it affects body temperature, which rises slightly throughout the day and peaks in late afternoon.
Now this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get a subpar workout in the morning. If you’re a regular morning exerciser, your body can adapt, allowing you to perform just as well as you would later in the day.
Some people do aerobic exercise first thing, before they’ve eaten, because they think it will help them burn more fat. But in fact, there’s little evidence that exercising on an empty stomach is any more effective at burning fat or helping you lose weight.
If you’re worried that an evening workout will interfere with your sleep, research shows that for most people, that’s not a problem.
In the end, it boils down to personal preference. If morning works best for you, exercise then. If afternoon or evening is better, that’s fine too. In short, the best time of day to exercise … is whenever you can. The important thing is just doing it.
Helping you be a healthy skeptic, I’m Robert Davis.