There is a debate about whether it is more beneficial to work out in the morning or the evening. Balancing daily life while finding time to exercise can be challenging. This is why people want to optimise their sessions and know when they are the most beneficial. Luckily, vast amounts of research have been published about this subject.

In this blog, we’ll take a deep dive into the question ‘Is it better to exercise in the morning or evening’. We’ll discuss the benefits of exercising in the morning and evening, to help you decide which is the best for you.

Benefits Of Morning Exercise

From a logistical perspective, getting your workout done in the morning before you begin your day can be beneficial. You don’t have to worry about working out later in the day, which gives you more time later on to perform other daily tasks.

But, 'getting it out of the way' isn't the only benefit of exercising in the morning.

Releases endorphins

When exercising, your body releases endorphins. The degree of release of the hormonal secretion of β-endorphin is related to exercise intensity, with research suggesting that substantial release of β-endorphin occurs only when exercise is completed for over 1 hour (Source). Thus, the time at which you exercise isn't relevant to hormonal release. However, I think we can all agree that getting that ‘high’ in the morning is a huge boost for the upcoming day.

Increases metabolism

Exercising in the morning makes it much easier for you to complete exercise in a fasted state (over 8 hours without food). Investigations on the effect of exercising fasted have found an increase in fatty acid utilisation following exercise. This means that your body will use more fat as a source of energy, meaning greater fat burn and fat loss. 

Improved Circadian Rhythm: A Good Night's Sleep

Specifically regarding aerobic exercise (30 minutes of high intensity), research has examined the effect of exercise time on nocturnal blood pressure and sleep architecture. Exercising in the morning (7 am) compared to midday (1 pm) or evening (7 pm) is found to be most beneficial for nocturnal blood pressure and quality of sleep (Source). Mechanisms behind the benefits to sleep quality are somewhat unknown. The authors suggest that it is down to temperature downregulation (the body's ability to reduce internal temperature) and energy conservation (a reduction in energy demand during sleep). In essence, by exercising in the morning, by the end of the day, the stimulus induces your body into a state of relaxation. This occurs for you to restore muscle tissue and energy, which allows for a deeper sleep.

Improved cognitive function

Last but not least, research has found that moderate intensity exercise led to improved cognitive function (concentration scores) on the same day following exercise. This is extremely beneficial for those who have to go to work following exercise. It  will help you perform at your best whilst you're working. 

Improved cognitive function

Last but not least, research has found that moderate intensity exercise led to improved cognitive function (concentration scores) on the same day following exercise. This is extremely beneficial for those who have to go to work following exercise. It will help you perform at your best whilst you're working. 

Benefits Of Evening Exercise

Generally, most people tend to work out in the evening after the day’s work is over. An evening workout session has several benefits, with the most obvious being the chance to get some extra sleep in the morning. Also, if you attend group exercise classes or exercise clubs, such as Pilates, Martial Arts, Football, Tennis, etc., you will find that the majority of classes occur in the evenings to fit around work.

Other benefits of working out in the evening include:

Increased body temperature

On an evening, your body temperature is higher compared to the morning. This optimises muscle function, enzyme activity and endurance, thus improving overall exercise performance (Source). Between the hours of 2 pm to 10 pm, your body temperature is at its highest. Therefore, exercising during the window of time that your body is most ‘ready’ may be said to make it the best time to exercise.

Improved reaction time

Reaction time has also been found to be better in the evening than in the morning. This can result in improved performance in intense exercises such as HIIT and circuit training (Source).

Faster oxygen kinetics

Oxygen kinetics are also faster in the evening. This can benefit your performance as you will use up stored energy more slowly and effectively. Furthermore, afternoon training is more effective at reducing circulating triglyceride levels and fasting blood glucose to a greater extent (Source). This means your body will use fat storage and readily available sugar to produce energy to perform, aiding fat loss.

Concurrent Training: Morning and Evening Exercise

Another consideration when determining the time of day at which to train depends on the type of training you complete. A popular training method these days is concurrent training, where you complete aerobic and resistance exercises. This method has been known to significantly improve aerobic capacity and muscular strength. However, one limitation of this method is that as you become more experienced, the cell signalling cascade for endurance adaptation (a series of underlying mechanisms that contribute to greater endurance ability) inhibits the pathways that lead to strength improvements. As such, it is recommended to delay the second session (~6 hours) to maximise the benefits from both aerobic and resistance training, thus, a session in the morning and then later in the afternoon is beneficial (Source).

So, Is It Best Time To Exercise In The Morning or Evening?

The truth is that the best time to work out is completely up to you! Whether you choose a morning or evening workout depends on when you feel comfortable and when you can fit it into your schedule. Timing shouldn’t be a major concern - instead, you should focus on keeping your workouts consistent and continuously progressing them. This is especially true if you are currently on a cutting program.

Heres is a breakdown of the benefits of morning and evening workouts:

Morning Exercise: 

• Endorphin Release
• Increased Metabolism
• Increased Circadian Rhythm
• Improved Cognitive Function

Evening Exercise:

• Improved performance due to increased body temperature
• Increased reaction time
• Faster oxygen Kinetics

Find Home Gym Equipment & Work Out Whenever You Please

Here at Exersci, we sell a wide range of commercial and home gym equipment for people of all abilities. You can browse our complete range to find the best workout products for you. That way, you’ll be able to work out any time of day or night, in the comfort of your own home. Contact us for any enquiries.