There is no best time to exercise, as it depends on the needs of each person. The right thing to do is to exercise at any time on a regular basis.
However, some research states that it is better to exercise in the mornings and others that it is better to exercise in the afternoons. What is true is that physical activity produces different effects on the body depending on when it is performed.
Exercising in the morning
Exercising in the morning has its advantages and disadvantages.
Exercising in the morning activates the body and stimulates the metabolism, which will allow the person to remain active for the rest of the day. The parasympathetic nervous system is activated and, therefore, the muscles and mind are also kept active. For this reason, many people choose to exercise in the morning.
Exercising in the morning will also allow you to have the rest of the day off and you are more likely to find the gym emptier. In the summer, it is advisable to exercise in the morning because it is less hot.
One of the disadvantages is that, after waking up, the muscles and joints are not activated immediately, and it is likely that you will not have much performance. A good warm-up is required. It is not advisable to do strength training in the morning, since doing it on an empty stomach or after having just eaten breakfast will exhaust the muscles faster.
Exercising in the afternoon
Exercising in the evening also has its advantages and disadvantages.
According to trainers, when exercising in the afternoon, the body is more efficient: therefore, there is less chance of injury or fatigue because the body is already active. The body already has enough energy to do any kind of exercise.
One of the most important advantages of exercising in the afternoon is that it helps to release endorphins. For example, if you had a stressful day at work, exercising will help you relax. However, the fatigue and laziness generated by work can be an obstacle to exercising regularly
Additionally, when exercising at night time, it is recommended to not do very intense workouts because it may make it difficult to fall asleep. Exercising activates the body for a few hours and sleep will not be possible immediately. One solution would be to exercise a few hours before going to sleep or have a massage to relax faster.
If you want to learn more about sports related topics, UNIB offers the Master in Physical Activity: Training and Sports Management.
