There are diverse and contradictory opinions about what kind of exercises to do and when to do them. There are those who favor the exercise to rise, while others talk about the advantages of doing at the end of the day. Some doctors, coaches and athletes think that in the morning is the ideal time to exercise because the metabolism is activated earlier and burn more calories, also because it is easier to create the habit and decreases the possibility of abandoning it, while other studies Say that it is better to do sports in the afternoon as the human immune system tends to lower its defenses in the early hours of the morning and if physical activity is added to it, they “tend to weaken even more.”
Through today’s publication, we try to figure out what is the best time of day to exercise, yes, already first we have to say and only the sport is a totally recommended, regardless of the time of day practice, and recommend this practice. We have to be aware that the work, and other daily routines, make that the sport we have to locate it in the schedule that best suits us.
The best time to exercise depends on several factors. One of them is the objective to be sought:
- If you want to get aerobic endurance (get prolonged resistance “background”), do an hour or another does not change the performance.
- If you want to get anaerobic endurance (flexibility, speed, strength and especially power) it performs much better in the afternoon (from 18.00) and evening.
- To increase muscle mass, train especially early (before noon), or late in the afternoon. Your hormones will help you achieve your goal.
- If what you want is to lose fat, it is recommended to do in the evening, when our metabolism starts to decrease.
Exercise in the morning
Pros
- It is easier to form the exercise habit now.
- Increases heart rate and metabolism to burn more calories earlier in the day
- Gives a sense of physical energy and improves mental acuity for hours.
- Air pollution is lower in the morning.
Cons
- The body temperature is at its lowest point 1-3 hours before waking up, so the morning is the time of least energy and blood flow.
- Cold and stiff muscles make you more prone to injury, which is why it is necessary to warm up well before doing a session of greater intensity, and do gentle stretching.
Exercise at noon and mid afternoon
Pros
- Body temperature and hormone levels are higher than first thing in the morning.
- It can help regulate the amount of food you eat at lunch and help you avoid snacking in the afternoon.
- It improves the blood flow to the brain so that it will be more awake in the afternoon.
- It releases stress from work, school or home.
Cons
- Work commitments or activities compete with the decision to exercise at the time chosen.
- Time constraints may prevent you from completing a workout.
- Research shows that lung function is more severe at noon. For a gentle walk, you may not notice the difference. But for a vigorous workout or for people with lung problems, 15% to 20% of people can feel the difference
Exercise at night
It is the least recommended time because the adrenaline that is generated with exercise (which leads to increased heart rate) can cause insomnia in some people (the body takes time to recover calm). And if we tend to train outdoors, the lack of visibility causes insecurity.
Nevertheless, and in conclusion, our recommendation is to exercise when most comfortably you under different circumstances (studies, work, family…), and at that time when you know you will not fail and get to be routine.