What Are The Best Times To Exercise?

Some people will swear by a 5am early morning run along the beach to get them pumped and ready for the day ahead. Others feel sick at the thought of waking up even five minutes earlier in the morning.

So what is the best time to exercise to get the most benefit?

There is a very long list of benefits from exercising no matter what time of the day it is and there is very little evidence to support one time of the day over another.

Why exercise is so important

The simple fact is, that if you don’t exercise regularly you won’t get any of the benefits!

Whether you are an early morning exercise fanatic or a night time 24 hour gym junky, whatever gets your heart pumping three or more times a week and fits into your own schedule best is right for you.

Exercising at different times of the day have both pros and cons. So if you have the ability to choose morning, noon or night here are a few things to remember…

Early morning exercisers

Pros of exercising in the morning:

• You’re more likely to stick with your routine as other things are less likely to get in the way (e.g. staying back late at work)
• More likely to lose fat; overnight your body will use up your carbs/sugar so as long as you don’t eat anything sugary before your run, you will be running on fat (make sure you do have a small healthy snack before exercising if you just can’t go on an empty stomach
• Get your metabolism off the starting line for the day
• You won’t be affected by the summer sun and overheating if you go whilst it’s still dark
• Exercising in the morning will help you sleep deeper and longer (up to 75% more time spent in “deep sleep” if exercising in the morning compared to the evening)

Cons of exercising in the morning:

• If you run out of energy, your body may start burning muscle tissue as well as fat to create energy
• Body temperature is at its lowest right after waking so you’ll naturally have less blood flow and less energy
• You’re also more likely to sustain an injury due to your muscles and joints being cold and stiff in the mornings (unless you have a good warm up first)

Lunch time exercisers

Pros of taking your lunch break at the gym or outdoors.

• At this time of the day you are awake, alert and ready to go
• Maintain a regular exercise routine by taking your exercise break at the same time every day at work
• Avoid 3:30itis by boosting blood flow to the brain and reducing stress levels

Cons of taking your lunch break at the gym or outdoors.

• We’ve all done it before, cutting our lunch break short to finish off that last minute task at work, eating at the desk or even skipping our break all together

​Night time gym junkies

Pros of hitting the gym on the way home from work

• Peak performance time: you will have a higher power output if exercising later in the day
• Hormones for muscle resistance work are optimal at this time
• Stress relief after a busy work day

Cons of night time exercising

• It is not ideal to work out just before bedtime as it raises your body temperature and can disturb sleep
• As long as you exercise 1-3 hours before going to bed you’ll be fine

Conclusion

What it really comes down to is that exercise is great for everyone no matter what time you exercise, it’s really just what you prefer and what best fits into your schedule.

Choose a time… Stick with it… Make it a habit!

Exercising at any time of the day is beneficial and is better than being a couch potato!

Author

Amanda “Mandy” Lowe – Physiotherapist and Practice Director Back In Motion Mentone

Amanda, better known as “Mandy”, launched Back In Motion Mentone in October 2013 having worked at various Back In Motion practices since 2009. She graduated with honours from Melbourne University in 2008 with a passion for sporting injuries and chronic pain, and went straight into private practice. She has now developed a keen interest in the treatment and long term management of knee pain especially in runners. A desire to assist people with these often complex conditions of the knee came about after her own knee injury in 2006. Mandy has excellent diagnostic skills and uses a range of treatment techniques including dry needling and Clinical Exercise. After years as Clinical Exercise Co-ordinator at a different Back In Motion practice, she has extensive knowledge in using clinical exercise to manage a wide range of chronic and acute injuries.