Morning or Evening Exercise: Which is more effective?

Amidst our hectic lives, finding time for a consistent workout routine can be challenging. But when it comes to the age-old debate of morning versus evening exercise, which one truly reigns supreme for our health?

Do you know which one is more beneficial for your body? Let’s delve into the science and find out!

Should I Workout In The Morning Or The Evening?

When your priority is to maintain good health, the time spent exercising hardly matters. There are many pros and cons of both workout routines, but always remember consistency is the key.

Morning people claim that an early morning exercise routine helps boost metabolism, but night people say that a night exercise routine enables you to get better sleep.

People generally fall into two categories:

• One who feels working out in the morning to feel better about themselves during the entire day, whereas 
• The second category believes in evening workout sessions to wash away the calories that you get while eating in the office chair.
  

But is sunset better than the sunrise when it comes to exercise? Let’s find out.

Benefits Of Morning Workout

To begin with, let’s have a look at testosterone. Your testosterone level fuels energy at a higher rate than in the evening. Along with that, working on an empty stomach is the best way to burn down the fat and kick-start your metabolism. Experts suggest that working out in the morning helps improve insulin sensitivity, mental focus, mood, and productivity for the entire day. 

Research also suggests that exercising in the morning may have less on a diet throughout the day, which helps you from putting on weight. 

A morning sweat leads to better mental health and a refreshing feeling for a day. Exercising early helps in increasing the so-called ‘feel good” hormone that is endorphins and controls stress by regulating the cortisol release.

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1. Boosts Your Mood

As per the experts, exercising regularly, even for a short duration, makes people happier than those who do not. By lowering the level of cortisol it helps in improving mood and make people cheerful and energetic for the whole day. You will commence your day on a positive note along with feeling productive for your 9 to 5 job. 

2. Improves Sleep Quality

Experts suggest that people who exercise may sleep better. With a regular morning routine, you will sleep earlier, spend more time in deep sleep, and wake up less at night than others. With time, your quality of sleep will also increase. Along with that, you will wake up refreshed and more energetic than others. 

3. More Consistency

Research says that it is much easier to stay consistent if you prefer morning workouts. As people have social and work events planned in the evening, it is easy to maintain a regular morning routine. Head out to the treadmills before you give yourself time to second guess. 

4. Less Hunger

Exercise helps curb appetite after working out. Exercising in the morning helps decrease calorie intake compared to other people who work in the evening. If you want to limit your calorie intake, morning workout sessions are best for you. 

5. Helps You Lose Weight

What is the benefit of weightlifting and running on treadmills if your body remains at the exact weight? So, depending on the timing of the workout, one can reduce weight. As per the study published in 2019, people who exercise before noon lose more weight as compared to the ones who prefer working out after 3 pm because the body remains energetic the entire day and you end up walking more than the late exercisers.

Also Read: Reasons You Need a Personal Trainer To Lose Weight

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Downsides

While morning exercise has a number of benefits, it is hard to maintain in a routine. Healthy sleep is vital for your body, and waking up early in the morning may lead to a disturbance in the sleep cycle, which could impact your body negatively.

However, an evening session can help you blow off the stress and let you sleep better. When you exercise early in the morning, a few things can make your workout wonky. Here are some disadvantages of morning workout routines. 

1. Interruption In Deep Sleep

It’s not every day you can maintain a healthy sleep schedule. Sometimes, because of work commitments or partying with friends, you will get limited sleep, which in turn will make it difficult to wake up in the morning. An alarm might puncture your deep sleep, and it will make your entire day tired and less energetic. Also, interruption in deep sleep causes chronic fatigue and sleep inertia. 

2. Your Body Is More Prone To Injuries

Your body temperature is low before you wake up. Low body temperature decreases blood flow and energy, which will make your muscles stiff and increase the injury risk. So, make sure you warm up your body a bit before beginning the intense workout sessions to prevent sprains and strains. 

3. Decreased Physical Performance

Usually, people don’t wake up feeling the most energetic and fired up. Stiffness in joints and inflexibility are some of the everyday things that you might face after waking up. So, a tiny warm-up is essential to maintain the energy. Also, in the evening, your body is at peak power, so workout sessions are more accessible in the evening than in the morning. 

4. You Might Workout on Low Fuel

If you wake up hungry, you might find yourself struggling with workout sessions because of hunger. If you wake up starving, try to increase your dinner intake and have some healthy snacks before you go to sleep. Or else, you can have a small breakfast of fruits to avoid mid-session hunger. 

Benefits Of Evening Workout

As seen, morning workouts have multiple advantages, but what if you are facing trouble maintaining consistency regularly? So, exercising in the evening has its benefits. 

If you are not an early worm, do not panic, as evening is also a great time if you do exercise properly. 

Working out after a long and tiring day helps relieve stress and enhances relaxation. Between 2 and 6 pm, your body temperature is at its peak, which means you will be exercising when your body is ready and making the most out of a workout routine. 

Exercising in the morning also requires a warm-up session, which is not mandatory in the evening as you have already burnt a lot of calories during the day. Also, in the evening, your heart rate and blood pressure are comparatively low, which decreases the chance of injury while working out. 

While some people suggest that working out in the evening can disturb your sleep, whereas a study suggests that working out in the evening improves sleep quality and allows people to sleep longer.

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1. Better Performance

Multiple studies found that exercises like cycling, jumping, swimming, and sprinting, when performed in the evening, improve one’s performance. With improvement, the levels of power and endurance increase as the day goes on. 

2. Bigger Gains

According to a study, people who work out in the evening tend to get more muscle mass at the beginning of 13-14 weeks than those who work out in the morning. If you want to increase muscle mass, evening workout is the best option for you. The body also produces more testosterone in the late afternoon, which is essential for muscle strength, stamina, and growth. 

3. Increase Strength

The main motive behind working out is increasing strength, and researchers found out that muscle strength is at its peak in the late afternoon and evening. So, exercising later in the day helps improve muscular endurance and build strength. 

4. Improves Sleep

If done correctly, evening exercise helps you get a good night’s sleep. Research shows that moderate-intensity activity improves deep sleep and helps enhance cognitive function and energy. 

5. Body Is Already Warmed Up

With busy routines and 9 to 5 jobs, you have already climbed stairs, walked to your office, and moved from one cubicle to another, so with all these activities in your everyday life, there is no need to get warm up before you start the workout session. 

Your body temperature is already higher in the evening, so your muscles are warmer, which leads to better performance. 

6. Already Motivated

You also set up back-to-back alarms and still find it challenging to get up in the morning. Motivation is the biggest hurdle in maintaining a healthy workout routine. So, if going to the gym in the morning is the biggest issue, then evening workout sessions are the best for you. Without skipping a day because of morning tiredness, you can maintain a regular routine in the evening.

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Downsides

We all are different when it comes to body type. Depending on person to person, the exercise routine impacts differently on everybody. Some people believe exercising in the evening can negatively impact your sleep schedule. Some believe that they feel a bit jittery after exercise. The above benefits may tempt you to exercise in the evening, but there are some downsides too that may change your decision.   

1. Negatively Impacts Sleep Cycle

With high intense workouts and heavy weight lifting can lead to significant disturbances in the sleep cycle. Heavy workout sessions increase energy levels and lead to awakening the whole night. So, try to avoid heavy weight-lifting and opt for moderate-intensity activities to maintain a healthy sleep routine. 

2. Consistency

Maintaining a consistent workout routine in the evening is difficult. Firstly, after a long and tiring day at work, it may not set the mood to work out. On the other hand, social gatherings and work events happen every time, leading to disturbances in attending the gym every day. Instead of struggling to work out in the evening, try to maintain a short session in the morning.

Morning Or Evening: Who Wins?

The battle between morning and evening workout routines has been going on for years and will continue! 

Depending on the personality type, some people find out that exercising in the morning is more beneficial and keeps you productive the entire day. In contrast, some believe that maintaining an evening gym session helps in getting a night of better sleep and increases strength. 

Working out is better for your body, no matter what time you choose. If you want to make the most out of it, consistency is the only key to that. Experts suggest that, whatever time you choose, whether it’s morning or evening, working consistently will help you get the best results. 

If a morning workout is your type, do not forget to warm up your body a bit to relax the muscles that might get tight from the sleep. 

But if you are an evening person, try to carry your gym essentials with you in your car to minimize the excuses. 

At last, regardless of what time you choose, be consistent and realistic with your workout sessions, and if you need a personal trainer’s help, reach out to us. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How can I create a workout routine? 

Motivating yourself for a regular workout session is a bit challenging. With an appropriate routine, your body will feel more productive. Here are some tips that you should keep in mind to create a consistent workout routine- 

• If you force yourself to do the exercise you hate, you will find it challenging to hit the gym. So opt for a workout that you enjoy and tolerate. 
• To feel active the next day, try to get a sleep for at least 7 hours. 
• Experts suggest that a small meal before a workout helps boost energy, so stock your kitchen with pre-workout meals. 
• Working out in the morning might feel hard, so instead of going for last-minute preparations, sit your workout clothes, water bottles, and other essentials in the night to save time and energy. 
• Music is the biggest helper. So, set a workout playlist and enjoy your exercise session to the fullest. 

2. How to wake up early in the morning to maintain regular workout sessions?

In the beginning, you will find it really difficult to hit the gym; you might miss a day or two. However, to maintain regularity, try to sleep on time and reduce screen time. After waking up regularly for some days, it will become a habit.