Morning or evening: when is the best time to exercise

 Morning, afternoon or evening: researchers found out when it is best to do sports.

Researchers have studied in detail when it is best to exercise. Although morning exercise is best for circadian rhythms, afternoon physical activity is more effective. In general, scientists emphasize that sports bring a lot of benefits to the human body, so it is worth doing them when you can fit training into your schedule.

Should you do sports early in the morning?

Often, for those who are just starting their training, the most frightening thing is the morning exercise. I don't really want to trade a warm bed for physical activity. But morning exercise has its own important advantages. First of all, it helps to release endorphins and improve mood immediately after exercise. Endorphins, together with other substances, also improve alertness and concentration, and increase energy levels. And it can make you more productive at work.

For "owls", morning exercise and physical training can be a real test. However, researchers emphasize that if you can push yourself, it will help improve your circadian rhythms, cope with insomnia and fatigue in the future.

During the day, a person becomes stronger and more durable

Unfortunately, those who like to exercise in the morning may not get the best results. Physical activity in the morning is hindered by lower energy reserves after sleep, stiff muscles, lower body temperature. Therefore, if you want not only to do sports, but also to achieve certain results, it is better to do it after dinner.

According to Sean Arent, head of the Department of Physical Education at the University of South Carolina, the best time for "explosive" athletics is between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

For example, in one study, young men were told to cycle to exhaustion at a certain difficulty. Those who did it in the afternoon were able to last 20% longer than those who were active in the morning. Also, according to the results of the study, it was clear that muscle strength and sprinting abilities reach their peak precisely in the afternoon and exceed the data in the morning by 3-20%.

Also, physical exercises can be more effective in the afternoon. A small study was conducted that lasted 12 weeks. The scientists focused on men who have diabetes or pre-diabetes. According to the results, training in the afternoon caused a greater metabolic effect, which helped to lose extra pounds better compared to morning sports. Although the advantages here were insignificant.

Is it possible to do sports late in the evening and at night?

According to the results of various studies, evening physical exercises do not have a negative effect on the quality of night sleep. However, here it is worth paying attention to a certain important point. If you engage in intense training less than an hour before bedtime, it can worsen the process of falling asleep. That is why physical activity experts recommend exercising no earlier than 90 minutes before you go to bed.

The main thing is to be consistent

Regardless of when you train, it's important to do it regularly and consistently.

As University of Utah researchers wrote in PLoS ONE after conducting the experiment: "For example, a marathon runner will perform best when his/her training occurs at the same time of day as the marathon. Circadian biology may support this observation, including diurnal fluctuations in body temperature , metabolism, neuromuscular function and hormones".

So, when is the best time to exercise? If you're not going to bed anytime soon, have a spare minute and haven't done a workout today, why not try it now?