Making exercise a habit is surrounded by a lot of barriers. From finding the self-motivation and energy to put your workout clothes on and head to the gym to one of the biggest barriers: finding the time.
Which brings up the question, when is the best time of day to work out? Finding the right time can increase efficiency or help you towards a goal, depending on what it is.
Although, if you are someone who can't stick to a certain time of the day, don't stress too much. Getting as much exercise as your body and mental health will allow you too is listening to your needs and that is enough.
Although if you want to add some efficiency, learn more about the best times of day to make time for exercise.
How To Find The Best Time For You
To find the best time to work out, there is a lot to consider. First, when do you have time? If you always have an hour at lunch that you want to make more productive, then use that time because it is accessible to you.
Although the second question is, what is your exercise goal? Are you working out for weight loss or to get stronger? Do you want to build endurance or build focus and concentration throughout the day?
A different time of the day can yield different results, that affect both your mental and physical health, in addition to your energy levels.
Morning Workouts
Scientists have found that if you are interested in weight loss, working out in the morning is the best time for reaching that specific goal. Even if you aren't an early bird, just make your workout the first part of your day, whatever time it starts.
Waking up and workout out on an empty stomach burns stored fat, according to scientists. The same study found that people who work out in the morning tend to have a lower appetite throughout the day, making the weight loss process more efficient for monitoring quantity.
The biggest issue presented by working out in the morning is making it a habit of waking up before work. For folks with flexible work schedules, this is a great opportunity, for the 9 to 5ers, you have to start waking up early. Although it may be tough at first, research suggests that it gets easier and waking up earlier will help you go to bed earlier too.
Mid-Day Workouts
If you really aren't a morning person, it might be hard for you to do an intense workout first thing in the morning. In this case, it might not be worth it to do a morning workout anyways.
For the folks who are trying to build endurance and enjoy longer intense workouts, midday seems to be a good time according to science. The reason is you are more alert and awake, listening to your energy levels, plus after a meal or two, you have the fuel to burn during a HIIT workout or something of equal intensity.
Taking your lunch break to workout out or get some exercise can also help keep your energy levels up for finishing the workday strong. Going for a walk is enough to accomplish this if you have already done your morning workout but want to stay refreshed throughout the day.
Late Afternoon Or Night Workouts
For the folks who have an intense day, they start work early and don't get home from work and running errands till almost dinner time, maybe a nighttime workout is just the best time for you. The after-work workout is the most common time of the day that people choose to hit the gym, and there are still benefits to working out at night as well.
There is a common belief that working out after 7 p.m. affects your sleep, but a study found that over time working out at night did not affect sleep patterns and can contribute to weight loss due to curving hunger.
So what is the takeaway from all of this information? The best time of day to work out is when it is accessible to you. Getting exercise is necessary for physical and mental health in addition to maintaining wellness.
You can also try a little of everything. Have a morning workout to stay in shape, take an after-lunch walk for digestion and re-energizing, then do some yoga before bed to stretch it out and relieve stress.
These are just examples of ways to incorporate exercise into your busy schedule and to optimize your health, but whenever you find the right time to work out, is the right time.
