When is the Best Time to Workout

by Toluwani Oyesola August 4, 2021

Picking a time to workout is one the most important decisions to make when starting your health and wellness journey. However, trying to schedule a workout time raises a lot of questions in the mind of people regarding what time is actually the best time to workout.

There are two main times that people workout: In the morning and in the evening. Now let's take a look at these both times in detail.

Morning Workout

It is working out first thing is the morning or before starting your day.

Pros of Morning

It helps to release endorphins early in the day, to help with the days work.

It helps to set your mind in the right direction: The feeling of accomplishing something early in the day boost your productivity drive for the rest of the day.

It helps to increase physical activity level throughout the day.

It can help to improve sleep quality.

It may also help to burn more fat.

Afternoon and Evening Workout

This is when you workout in the afternoon or after hours of the day. While working out in the afternoon is not as profound as working out in the evening, it also has some benefits that are very similar to that of evening workouts.

Pros of Working out in the afternoon and evening

The body's ability to perform peaks in the afternoon: This means that endurance level, muscle function and strength level is high and thus you can use less effort in exercises in comparison to the morning.

Body temperature Peak: The body temperature reaches its highest between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. This makes it the time the body is most ready and possibly the most effective time to workout during the day.

Oxygen Uptake: The kinetics of oxygen uptake is faster in the evening, which results in people using their resources slowly and more effectively than in the morning.

Reaction Time: Towards the late afternoon and early evening, the reaction time of the body is high, making it the right time for high-intensity interval training or cardio exercises.

Better Sleep: Doing low impact workouts and stretches in the evening helps to improve sleep quality. However high intensity workouts should not be done close to bedtime.

At the end of the day, when you decide to workout is up to you and how much time you have in your schedule. It is however important to consider the type of workout you are doing and what results you are hoping to get from working out. Lastly, whatever time you choose to workout, stick with it and be consistent. Consistency is the only sure way to see the results of your workouts.