When Should You Exercise?
Several research studies on lung, body rhythms, hormone levels and temperature suggest that the best time to exercise is around 6 PM. However, several surveys done on exercise habits proved that the best time is the morning time before you start any other commitments of the day. You are also advised to exercise during the day when you find free time to exercise your body.
Is Morning the Best Time to Exercise?
The majority of athletes who exercise regularly do it early in the morning. Morning exercise is the best and easy way to form the exercise habit. Morning is the best choice due to several good reasons. First, there are fewer distractions and schedule interruptions. Second, you can make time to exercise by getting up a bit earlier in the morning. Third, morning exercise burns more calories earlier in the day by raising the heart rate and metabolism. Fourth, exercising in the morning gives a feeling of physical energy and improves your mental acuity for hours. Keeping in mind all these benefits, morning time is the best time to exercise. With regular morning exercise, your body adjusts to the exercise time. In case you are training for a morning sports event, training in the morning in the best choice.
The negative factors are that body temperature is at its lowest 1-3 hours before awakening, making morning a time of naturally lower energy and blood flow. Again, cold, stiff muscles may be more prone to injury. If one does not enjoy morning exercise, habit of exercising cannot be formed by choosing a morning workout time. During late afternoon body temperature and hormones are higher. So, by exercising later in the day you can burn more calories.
Is Afternoon or Evening the Best Time to Exercise?
Some studies show that afternoons and early evenings, around 3 PM to 7 PM is the best time to exercise for both endurance and for building muscle. For most people, both body temperature and hormone levels will be at peak at around 6 PM. Exercising three hours before or after 6 PM helps in gaining endurance and building muscle. It is also a fact that lung function is best at 4 PM to 5 PM. Muscles are warm and flexible during this time. Perceived exertion is lowest. It also provides stress relief after a day of hard work.
How to Exercise?
Take a break during workout. It helps metabolize more fat than when you exercise without taking a break. It is a common belief that prolonged exercise helps in burning the fat easily. But, fitness experts suggest repetition of shorter exercise as the best option. It helps in fat burning before and after exercise.
How to Determine Your Own Best Time to Exercise?
So, there are so many options guiding when to exercise? Then what is the best way to determine your own ‘best time to exercise’? The health experts give the answer - body’s circadian rhythm. It helps in determining whether you are a night owl or an early bird. This circadian rhythm cannot be altered. Circadian rhythm is governed by the 24-hour pattern of the earth’s rotation. It influences several body functions like blood pressure, hormone levels, heart rate and body temperature, all of which play a role in readiness for exercise in the athlete’s body.
So, use the body clock as the best guide to the know when to exercise, to beefit the most out of it.