Some people like to get up at the crack of dawn to lace up their shoes and head to the gym. Other people prefer to wait until the afternoon or evening to get their blood pumping at the gym. Then there are many people who are somewhere in between these two extremes. It begs the question of whether there is a best time to exercise. And if there is, what time is it?
WHO MORNING EXERCISE WORKS BEST FOR
Are you the sort of person who has trouble sticking with your gym routine? If so, it may be best to do your exercising early in the day. There has been research done showing that where consistency is concerned, morning exercise works best. However, those who choose this option should take more time to warm up than you would later in the day.
On top of that, if you experience insomnia, getting to the gym instead of hitting the alarm and snoozing may be the better option. The reason for this is because exercising or eating late in the day can make it harder for your body to relax and unwind so you can sleep.
WHEN EXERCISING LATER IS BETTER
Everyone is different, and just because some people are more consistent exercising in the morning, that doesn’t mean it will apply to you. Some people’s body rhythms make it easier to exercise a bit later in the day. For example, some people prefer to exercise at lunchtime, although you should eat after the workout instead of the opposite.
FINDING YOUR SCHEDULE
Not sure when is the best time to exercise for you? Experiment to find out. Try working out early for a few weeks and gauge how it feels before trying exercise a bit later in the day. It may be easier than you think to find out what works best for you. Once you know, you can keep to that schedule to stay on track.
