What’s the best time of day to work out at the gym? Most of us have such busy schedules that our answer is, “Whenever we can!”
That might mean we go to the gym before or after work. Or we could show up in the afternoon when our kids are in school. Or we may go when our favorite personal trainer is teaching the group class we love the most.
So, it really boils down to each person’s individual choice and needs. And, if the results are the same, does it really matter what time of day we go to the gym?
Yet some studies seem to indicate that the results aren’t the same. Read this blog to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of working out at various times of the day so that you can make the best decision about when to work out at AFAC’s gym in Thornton, Colorado.
Benefits of Working Out in the Morning at the Gym
According to multiple studies, morning workouts have an edge. They offer so many benefits, in fact, that it might convince some night owls to drag themselves out of bed and hit the gym before sunrise.
Morning Workouts Help Establish a Routine
People who go to the gym first thing in the morning tend to be more consistent because morning workouts happen before the day’s tasks can get in the way. If you wait until the evening, there’s more of a risk that fatigue or the day’s responsibilities will pile up, leaving you no energy or time for exercise.
Morning Workouts Might Burn More Fat
Exercising in the morning makes it easier for you to work out on an empty stomach as long as you don’t eat breakfast before your workout. Exercising in this “fasted state” can burn more fat than exercising after a meal (in a “fed state). That’s because your body must get energy from its fat stores to fuel your workout, rather than the food you ate before your workout.
Other research shows that you might burn more calories after exercise when you work out in the morning vs. the evening, possibly leading to more weight loss over time.
Morning Workouts Can Help You Manage Your Appetite
In addition to burning more fat, morning workouts can also reduce your motivation for food, research shows. One study at BYU measured the brain activity of 35 women while they viewed food images, both following a morning of exercise and a morning without exercise. The study found that the women’s attention to the food pictures decreased after a brisk morning workout.
In addition, the women in the study didn’t eat more food on their exercise day to compensate for the calories they burned during their workouts. Instead, they ate about the same amount of food on both their exercise days and non-exercise days.
Morning Workouts Can Make You More Productive
Research has shown that exercising in the morning can make you more energetic and alert throughout the day. Morning workouts can also benefit your focus and decision-making skills, which can mean you have a more productive day.
Morning Workouts Can Boost Your Mood All Day Long
The endorphins, or “happy chemicals,” that your body produces when you work out can keep your mood elevated for hours after your sweat session ends. Getting that mood-booster in the morning can set you up for a happier, more optimistic day. Morning exercise can also help you:
- Manage your stress levels for the rest of the day
- Leave the gym feeling good about accomplishing something before 9 a.m., which is a huge ego boost!
- Feel relieved about not having to work out later in the afternoon or evening, which leaves your time free for eating dinner, socializing, and relaxing
Morning Workouts Can Improve Sleep
Research has shown that exercise in the morning or afternoon stimulates earlier melatonin release. That means, if you exercise in the morning, you could have an easier time falling asleep earlier at night.
Research has also found that evening exercise may negatively affect the sleep quality of early birds, but not for night owls. This may be one reason why some people can exercise at night and have no trouble sleeping, while others struggle to sleep right after working out at the gym.
For most of us, as long as we work out at least 90 minutes before bedtime, moderate-intensity exercise does not have a detrimental effect on sleep.
When the body prepares for sleep, body temperature drops, heart rate decreases, and brain waves slow down. Exercise has the opposite effect – raising body temperature, heart rate, and brain activity. Because of this, experts have historically advised against exercising right before bed.
Recent studies, however, have found that nighttime exercise might not have that much of a negative impact on sleep. Current sleep hygiene recommendations from the Sleep Foundation say that exercise at any time of the day can make it easier for you to sleep at night.
Disadvantages of Working Out in the Morning at the Gym
You Might Be Hungry When You Work Out
While a morning workout on an empty stomach can help you burn body fat, you might find yourself battling serious hunger pangs while you exercise. This can cause fatigue that affects your workout performance. If you wake up hungry on most days, try eating a larger dinner or a small, protein-dense snack before you go to bed. You can also eat a small snack before your workout, such as a banana, to avoid intense hunger and fatigue.
You Might Interrupt Your Deep Sleep Cycles
Depending on your sleep cycles, waking up super-early to work out might interfere with your deep sleep time. This can lead to feeling groggy after you wake up and chronic fatigue over time.
Your Physical Performance Might Not Be at its Peak
Early in the morning, you might experience joint stiffness and inflexibility that make it difficult to work out. In addition, your core body temperature is lower and your heart rate is slower in the morning. Your flexibility, temperature, and heart rate should improve as the day goes on. Some studies show that your peak power might arrive in the evening, making this a better time to work out.
Benefits of Afternoon and Evening Workouts at the Gym
Many people feel heightened readiness, flexibility, strength, and speed in the afternoons and evenings, making this the best time for them to work out.
Your Physical Performance Might Be Better in the Evening
Research shows that most people physically function better later in the day. Their flexibility, muscle strength, endurance, and power output are all better in the evening compared to the morning. Plus, one study showed that people who exercise in the evening take up to 20% longer to reach exhaustion compared to morning exercisers.
Your Body Produces More Testosterone During Afternoon Workouts
Testosterone is an important hormone for muscle building in both men and women. One study showed that your body might produce more testosterone during afternoon workouts vs. morning workouts, which can result in greater muscle and strength gains.
Evening Workouts Can Relieve Stress
Exercise relieves stress at any time of day, but working out in the evening can help you blow off some steam after a stressful day. This can also help you wind down before bedtime.
Evening Workouts Can Replace Bad Habits
Do you have evening habits that you’d like to replace – like snacking, watching too much TV, drinking, or smoking? A late exercise session can take their place. Once you get into the habit of exercising in the evenings, you’ll soon find that you don’t even miss your old, less-healthy habits.
Your Body Temperature Is at its Highest
Your body temperature peaks between 2 and 6 p.m. That means your body is most ready to exercise during this window, potentially making it the most effective time of day to work out.
Your Reaction Times Are Quickest in the Afternoon and Evening
Exercises like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and running on the treadmill are better to do in the afternoon or evening because your reaction time will be at its fastest.
If You’re a Man, Afternoon Exercise Can Improve Blood Sugar Management
A study in 2020 showed that men who exercised between 3 and 6 p.m. experienced dramatic improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management compared to men who worked out between 8 and 10 a.m.
Disadvantages of Working Out in the Afternoon or Evening at the Gym
Before you postpone your morning workouts for later in the day, you should consider a couple downsides.
Evening Workouts Might Interfere with Sleep
As previously mentioned, exercising at night might give you the jitters before bedtime. But that’s not true for everyone. Exercising at night might not affect your sleep at all, or it might even improve your sleep.
Evening Workouts Might Become Inconsistent
When it comes to fitness, consistency is everything. Many people find that evening workouts don’t work for them because they’re too tired after a long day and can’t remain consistent with their workout routine. Plus, afternoon and evening workouts can interfere with responsibilities that crop up during the day. If that’s the case for you, it might be better to stick with morning workouts.
More Mixed Results
Study after study leaves us without a concrete answer on the best exercise time of day (ETOD). Consider, for example, a recent study at Skidmore College.
The study, published on May 31, 2022, in Frontiers in Physiology, followed 30 women and 26 men during a 12-week exercise program. Part of the group exercised in the morning, while the others exercised in the evening. The program included four workouts per week, each with a different focus – strength training, endurance exercise (sit-ups and push-ups), high-intensity intervals, and flexibility.
Here’s what the study found when comparing the participants’ morning and evening workouts:
- Women who worked out in the morning lost more body fat
- Women who trained in the evening gained more upper body strength, power, and muscular endurance
- Men had similar performance improvements no matter when they exercised
- Men who exercised in the evening had a significant drop in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and feelings of fatigue
- Men who exercised in the evening also had a larger percentage of body fat burned for energy
The Best Time to Exercise at AFAC Gym Is Whenever You Can
Regardless of study results, fitness professionals agree that the best time to exercise is whenever you can fit it in. Exercise is important so you have to choose the time that fits your lifestyle best.
On top of that, the best-best time to exercise is at a time that allows you to stick with your program for days, weeks, months, and years. Consistency is the key to a successful fitness journey that gives you results.
Research also suggests that your body can adapt to whatever training schedule you choose. So, if you decide to work out every morning, you’ll get a lot better at it over time. The same goes for nighttime workouts.
At Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, we understand that our members have different schedules and fitness needs. That’s why our gym is here for you six days a week from early morning to evening. Our experienced team of personal trainers is also here when you need assistance with designing a program that matches your fitness level and goals.
As the best gym in Thornton, Colorado, AFAC’s huge selection of strength training and cardio equipment is available morning, afternoon, and evening. And, whether you want to join us at 5:00 a.m., 12 noon, or 6:30 p.m., our full schedule of group classes has a program that will work for you. These are some of the many ways that AFAC gym is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our members.
If you’re not a member of AFAC gym but would like more information, please stop by and speak to our team. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.
