How Should You Set Your Exercise O’Clock?

It is one of those frequently asked fitness questions: What is the best time of day to exercise?

As the summer rolls in, bringing with it lighter evenings, people are willing to be far more active at night. In my eyes, this is a great thing, and a walk in the park on a balmy summer’s evening beats a long stretch on the sofa by far. However, what if you are somebody who does their killer gym session in the evening after work – is this the most effective time to train?

A ‘Night Own On the Prowl’

So, you’ve had a long day at work but a few hours of daylight still remain and you fancy a gruelling workout down them gym. Should you think twice before putting on those trainers?

Scott Bauer, USDA/ARS

Here’s the argument against working out at night: A stressful day at work has driven your cortisol levels up; high cortisol levels promote fat storage by stimulating glucose production….; stepping into the gym will usually further heighten your cortisol levels (a busy gym can be a stressful workout environment); so you end up risking your toned muscle and adding excess body fat.

Furthermore, the more time that is put between you waking up and getting your workout done, the more likely something is to crop up and sidetrack you, making you unable or ‘to tired’ to go for that late session. And if that wasn’t enough, an evening training session may leave you too alert and ‘pumped up’ thereby jeopardising a restful sleep, which your body needs to recover. It looks like a pretty dire situation for night owls so far, so let’s look at the complete opposite approach to see if you should really be worried about working out late.

The ‘Early Bird that Gets the Worm’

So, you’ve had a good sleep and you get up an hour earlier than you need to be, meaning you can hit the gym before you cosy up to your office desk. Should you think twice before setting that alarm?

Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here’s the worst case scenario: You’re body is in starvation mode from a night’s fasting, so your blood sugar levels are depleted; your core body temperature is a long way off the optimal 37 degrees; and your mind may already be at work leaving your body behind. This heady combination could leave you with a very ineffective morning workout.

Rule Free O’Clock

In all honesty, both of the above represent the extreme corners of the debate, and do not paint a fair picture. Most of us will have tried working out at all hours of the day depending on our schedule, and for me that is the most important point right there – time your workouts for whenever is best for you!

Let’s quickly consider what some of the main factors likely to dictate when is your best workout time?

Socialising and Personal Relationships

Since my girlfriend changed jobs a few months back, she has had earlier starts, so instead of laying awake for an hour in the morning, I thought it would be more productive to use this ‘down time’ to go for a swim or gym session. On the days I am not working out, I can use this extra morning time to write or research. Take a look at your daily ‘down time’ and see if you should or could be working out then. Don’t force yourself to the gym if you have to stay on at work, and going to the gym would push sleep back by 1 hour, and equally, don’t automatically go to the gym if you have had a late night the day before. Life is unpredictable, so your training ‘schedule’ should be adaptable. Get the correct balance and of course don’t seek an excuse to pass up a workout if there is no legitimate reason – that is not what I am advocating here.

Type of Activity

These factors will of course be different for us all and carry differing degrees of influence on how we build fitness training into our lives. It’s an obvious thing to say but once you consider the pros and cons for working out morning, midday or night, surely those are outweighed by your own commitments. It has to come down to a balanced and structured decision. Of course, we all have different commitments and constraints so there is no one size fits all approach. The science usually suggests that our strength and endurance capabilities are usually stronger in the afternoon. Most of us can probably lift more later in the day when our muscles are warm but if you’re only time to train is the morning and you want to do weights, don’t let this idea stop you, just be aware that you may not be lifting at your heaviest and be extra cautious about injury! When it comes to cardio based activities, I personally find I get more from doing this earlier in the day when I am fresh. The post workout ‘buzz’ keeps me alert for hours on end after too.

Ultimately, it’s Your Choice

Don’t let anybody tell you when you should or shouldn’t be working out. You are far more likely to succeed in reaching your fitness goals if your exercise integrates as smoothly as possible into your life because your training will become habitual and you will be more committed. Only you know how you’re body is feeling…

Related posts:

1. How to fit more exercise in to your day
2. The Benefits of Group Exercise to Smash Your Fitness Goals With Others