The Best Time To Work Out? This Is It

For some of us, rising with the sun and smashing out a Sweat session doesn’t take a second thought. Others might prefer sneaking their workout into their lunch break or are all about evening HIIT. But have you ever wondered, when is the best time of day to work out?

Ultimately, the best workout is the one you can make the time for. Whenever you can squeeze in some exercise or feel your best is going to be a great option for you, but there can be pros and cons to working out at different times of day. Read on to discover the benefits of exercising in the morning, noon and night – and how to find the best time to suit your body clock, fitness goals and lifestyle.

When is the best time of day to exercise for YOU?

We all have individual preferences, unique routines and energy patterns, and the bottom line is, whenever YOU prefer to exercise is the best time for you. The best exercise routine and the one you’ll reap the most fitness benefits from is the one you can stick to long-term, and finding something sustainable is far more important than what the clock says.

If you’re a morning person, feel energetic as soon as you wake up, love getting your workout done first thing, or the morning is simply the only time you can make it work - morning workouts it is!

If you need extra sleep, find your athletic performance is better later in the day, or simply enjoy finishing your day with some movement to let off some steam, an afternoon or evening workout is probably more your style.

Think about your body’s natural energy and sleep patterns, your daily schedule and responsibilities, how long your workouts are and when you feel the most motivated. These factors will help you pinpoint your best time of day to work out! The most important thing is finding a time that works for you and creating healthy habits that make your body feel good, but different times of day do come with different benefits, so let’s dive in!

The benefits of morning exercise

Love the idea of getting your workout done and dusted before the rest of your day begins? Give a morning workout a whirl and you’ll reap the benefits of plenty of feel-good endorphins. 

Early birds may burn more

According to a 2022 research article published in Frontiers in Physiology, the ideal time of day is hard to determine since there are simultaneous effects on health and performance, but if losing weight is a goal for you, morning workouts could be the winning option. 

The researchers followed 27 women and 20 men as they completed a 12-week exercise program, concluding that morning exercise reduced abdominal fat and blood pressure. 

Another 2019 study published in the International Journal of Obesity explored the impact of exercise timing on weight loss with a 10-month supervised exercise program. Despite minimal differences in components of energy balance, those who worked out between 7 am and midday lost more weight. This was further supported by a 2020 study that also similarly found consistent morning exercise may be beneficial for individuals with obesity.

But remember, while hopping on the scales regularly might seem like a good way to measure your progress and stay motivated, numbers can sometimes be deceptive and there are plenty of other ways to measure your progress. If you’re thinking about saying “screw the scales” like Sweat Trainer Kelsey Wells has, read this article.

Morning exercise could have a positive effect on your body clock

Want to feel more energised in the morning and tired at night? A 2019 study published in the Journal of Physiology found exercising first thing could help shift your body clock earlier. 

The research found morning exercise may help shift your circadian rhythm so your body feels more alert in the morning and more sleepy when you’re ready to go to bed. 

Exercising in the morning can also improve the quality of your sleep. A 2014 study published in Vascular Health and Risk Management found people who performed aerobic exercise at 7 am spent more time in the deep sleep cycle – which is the most restorative sleep phase – than those who did cardio at 1 or 7 pm. 

Yes, waking up early may be a huge struggle at first, but with the positive knock-on effects that morning exercise can have on your sleep quality, you might not even need to hit the snooze button anymore!

You’ll get your workout out of the way

For many morning exercisers, this is the biggest benefit of all. Ever had the best of intentions to exercise in the evening, only to have work pile up, life admin that must be done, family duties you can’t ignore, unexpected plans, find yourself stuck in traffic, or you simply feel exhausted at the end of a long day?

When you prioritise exercising in the morning, you don’t even have to worry about those competing responsibilities and distractions throwing off your evening workout game. You’re already done before you have time to talk yourself out of it!

Morning exercise could boost your energy for the day

A good old endorphin rush from moving your body is a great way to start the morning, and this feel-good, focused energy can carry into the rest of your day.

Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that a morning bout of moderate-intensity exercise improves working memory or cognitive function!

Morning exercise: Things to be mindful of

• Getting up early can mean losing sleep and feeling more tired overall. As a result, you may need to adjust your nighttime routine and go to bed earlier

• If you exercise first thing before eating, you might feel weak or low in energy. If you find it hard to work out on an empty stomach, a piece of toast or fruit is a great, light option

• If you’re tired or groggy during a morning workout, your performance, focus and coordination may be impaired

• If it’s cold in the morning or you wake up feeling stiff, you might need a longer warm-up before you start your workout

• If you simply find it hard to get yourself out of bed in the morning, you might need to make some broader lifestyle changes. Here's our advice on becoming a morning person

The benefits of afternoon and evening workouts

When it comes to workout timing, some people find the later in the day, the better. In the afternoon or evening, you may be feeling more warmed up, you’ve eaten some food, and are far more mentally alert than you were when you first woke up. Here are three great reasons to workout in the afternoon or evening.

Performance tends to peak later in the day 

You may find you have more energy and focus to squat, jump, lift and stretch when you schedule your workout in the afternoon or evening. 

According to a 2012 review published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the effect of time of day on aerobic performance has been well established, with peak performance being in the late afternoon. 

Another article from 2020 says that most studies published to date have shown peak performance is better between 4 pm and 8 pm for short duration max-effort exercise such as jumps, sprinting and muscle contractions - perfect for all the HIIT and lifting programs in the Sweat app.

The same 2022 study mentioned earlier which concluded morning exercise can be better for reducing abdominal fat and blood pressure, found that evening exercise actually enhanced muscular performance.

Exercising when your body temperature is warmer in the afternoon and evening also has practical benefits: a cold body means stiffer muscles that are more susceptible to strains, while a warmer body means you’ll be able to get into the groove faster. (You’ll still need to warm up though!)

You're more alert

If you love the idea of a morning workout but feel like you end up going through the motions still half-asleep, you may want to switch things up and exercise when you feel more alert (and when you’ve had a few meals to fuel you!). Scheduling your workouts for when you feel most alert is also a great idea if your session involves exercises or equipment you’re not familiar with.

Your muscle gains might be bigger 

One 2016 randomised controlled trial spent 24 weeks investigating strength and endurance training in the morning versus evening on performance and muscle growth. The results indicated that training in the evenings may lead to larger gains in muscle mass, but only when the training period exceeded 12 weeks. Well, if you need an incentive to keep your strength training sessions going for longer than 12 weeks, there you go!

It can be a great way to destress 

Need to let off steam after a stressful day? An evening sweat could be exactly what you need to sweat your way to a better mood and get yourself ready for a good night’s sleep. 

The satisfaction of pushing through a tough routine or hitting a personal best can release a flood of feel-good brain chemicals – otherwise known as endorphins, serotonin and dopamine.

After you’ve blitzed through your evening workout, you might even find that things that were weighing on your mind no longer seem like a big deal, or you have fresh energy and perspective to tackle them!

Afternoon and evening workouts: Things to be mindful of 

• For some people, exercising later in the day can have a detrimental effect on sleep, while for others it can have a positive impact! One 2018 review even found that evening exercise helped improve sleep measures, as long as the exercise was completed over an hour before bed. Experiment with your workout timing and see how it affects your sleep.

• If you’ve had a stressful day or are exhausted, an intense evening workout may add more stress to your system. On those days, opt for lower-intensity movement or take a rest day.

• It’s important to nourish your body with a good meal after a workout, but not everyone feels hungry straight after exercise. If it takes a while for your appetite to return, it’s best to avoid exercising too late in the evening so you’re not sleeping on a full stomach.

Find your own rhythm

Whether you exercise morning, noon or night, the benefits are indisputable: from increased stamina and strength to improved blood pressure, stronger bones and muscles and better sleep.

And don't forget, the best time to get your body moving is whatever time works for YOU. This could mean sticking to a regular time each day or a mix of morning, noon and night workouts depending on your schedule, health and mood.