The Time of Day You Exercise Affects the Benefits You Get

July 17, 2022

by Cathe Friedrich

There’s lots of debate about when the best time to exercise is. Is it first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon when you’re more awake and alert? Sometimes there’s only one time that works because you have other obligations like work or school. Still, if you have an option, you’ll want to consider the results of a new study on exercise and time of day.

Time of Day and Exercise Results

A recent study looked at the effects of exercising at different times of day on subjects between the ages of 25 and 55. All were healthy and had a healthy body mass index (BMI). All participants exercised 4 days per week, but their workout times varied. Half worked out in the morning, between 6:30 and 8:30 A.M. The other half exercised in the evening between 6:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. both groups did several types of exercise including sprint interval training, endurance, training, and stretch training. All ate a special nutrient-dense diet that contained enough protein for their higher activity level.

After 12 weeks, researchers measured a variety of fitness and heart health biomarkers such as cholesterol, arterial stiffness, and body fat percentage. They also tested their flexibility, balance, strength, muscle endurance, and jumping ability before and after the 12-week program.

The Effect of Exercise Time of Day on Health and Fitness Gains

The results differed, depending on the time of day the subjects exercised and by gender. For women, morning exercise was more effective for lowering blood pressure and reducing tummy fat while exercising in the evening was most beneficial for mood. Evening exercise also led to the greatest reduction in appetite. Plus, women who exercised in the evening enjoyed greater gains in upper body muscle endurance, strength, and power. They also gained more leg power from working out in the morning.

What about men? In the study, men who exercised in the evening enjoyed greater fat loss and felt more energetic and less fatigued. They also experienced greater improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and lung function when they exercised in the evening. Plus, evening exercise was more effective for improving mood and mental outlook.

However, the researchers point out that both genders experienced improvements in health and fitness markers regardless of when they worked out. For example, both genders had a reduction in blood pressure, lost belly fat, and improved their physical performance by working out, irrespective of the time. But some gains were better at certain times.

The take-home message? Any time you work out you’re doing something good for your body. But as this study shows, you might get greater gains in certain areas if you schedule your workouts at a certain time of day. When you schedule it would depend on your health goals.

At One Time of Day Should You Exercise?

Despite the potential for greater gains if you work out at a certain time of day, you’ll still get benefits just by lacing up your exercise shoes and putting in the effort. If you aren’t a morning person and can’t be consistent with a morning workout (because you keep falling back to sleep), an afternoon or evening workout is best and will increase the likelihood of you doing it.

But here’s another factor to consider. Research shows exercisers are more likely to stick to morning workouts. Getting a workout done early in the day means there’s less likelihood something will interfere like having to work later or other obligations. Plus, there are fewer distractions than there are later in the day.

Evening exercise has a few drawbacks too. If you have a physically or mentally demanding job, you might lack the stamina to work out in the evening after a long day’s work. Your gains might be limited since you can’t work out as hard. So, it’s important to consider all factors and how they relate to your unique lifestyle.

What’s Your Fitness Goal?

The type of exercise you do matters too. If you’re trying to build upper body strength or power, the research showed evening workouts led to greater upper body strength and power gains. This isn’t surprising since core body temperature is higher in the late afternoon and earlier evening and strength peaks at this time. So, you may be able to lift more weight or complete an extra repetition or two if you workout in the evening. Since your muscles are warmer, you may be at lower risk of injury too.

The Bottom Line

The time of day you exercise may affect the fitness and heart health benefits you get but you’ll get some benefits no matter when you work out. Consider all the factors and choose a time that you’ll be consistent with.

If you split up your workouts, you could do an aerobic workout in the morning and save strength and power training for the evening when your muscles are warmer and more flexible. There isn’t one “right” time to exercise, as you can get benefits working out at any time of day. The key is to do it.

Choose a Time and Stick with It

Although it might be tempting to change your exercise time from morning to evening, one study found that being consistent with the time you exercise may help you stay more physically active. So, pencil in your exercise time and make it as important a part of your day as other items on your to-do list. Don’t relegate your health to the back burner. Your stamina and physical fitness affect all aspects of your life and can help you perform better at school and on the job too.

References:

Melore C. When should you exercise? Time of day leads to different workout results. Study Finds. Published June 2, 2022. Accessed July 4, 2022. https://www.studyfinds.org/time-of-day-workout-results/
Schumacher LM, Thomas JG, Raynor HA, Rhodes RE, Bond DS. Consistent Morning Exercise May Be Beneficial for Individuals With Obesity. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2020 Oct;48(4):201-208. doi: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000226. PMID: 32658039; PMCID: PMC7492403.
Schumacher LM, Thomas JG, Raynor HA, Rhodes RE, O’Leary KC, Wing RR, Bond DS. Relationship of Consistency in Timing of Exercise Performance and Exercise Levels Among Successful Weight Loss Maintainers. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2019 Aug;27(8):1285-1291. doi: 10.1002/oby.22535. Epub 2019 Jul 3. PMID: 31267674.
“Best Time of Day to Exercise: When to Work Out – Healthline.” 25 Jan. 2016, https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/best-time-to-workout.
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