Food for Thought: When's the Best Time of Day to Exercise?

This week the question bouncing around in my head was, "When's the BEST time of day to exercise?" I wondered if it is better to exercise first thing in the morning before eating breakfast. Or maybe it's better later in the day when my body is more awake. My husband is always telling me to do it as soon as I wake up. Before eating, showering and doing ANYTHING else. In his eyes, I should ideally be literally rolling out of bed and pushing play.

But as a busy mom of five, this isn't always practical. I tend to exercise as soon as I can in the morning after I feed all the children and attend to their needs.

So to find the answer to my question, I did a little research. Actually that's a big fat lie. Because I did A LOT of research. I've been reading several articles a day trying to sift through the wealth of information on the topic. The problem is there is a ton of conflicting evidence and opinions about what time is best.

After all my reading, this is what I have determined...

According to the latest research being conducted on this topic, unfortunately the answer to the question, "What is the best time for exercise?" varies upon your training goals and your exercise adherence. The answer is best determined on a personal, case-by-case level.

Generally and Biologically, Late Afternoon is Best for Exercise

Research shows that the optimal time to exercise is when our body temperature is at its highest, which, for most people is 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (body temperature is at its lowest right before waking).

STRENGTH is greater in the afternoon. Strength output is 5% higher at around mid-day; anaerobic performance, such as sprinting, improves by 5% in the late afternoon.

ENDURANCE is greater in the afternoon. Aerobic capacity (endurance) is approximately 4% higher in the afternoon.

INJURIES are less likely in the afternoon. Afternoon exercise is the best if you want to avoid injuries for many reasons. We are most alert, our body temperature is the highest so our muscles are warm and flexible, and our muscle strength is at its greatest. These three factors make it less likely that we will get injured.

Morning Exercisers are More Consistent

Even though afternoon exercise might be best from a physiological standpoint, research also shows that morning exercisers are more likely to stick to it than later-day athletes. As the day goes on, more distractions present themselves and things we intend to do often get delayed. So if you want to establish a habit, it is best to do it first thing.

There are several cons to this, however, the primary ones being that the body is not awake enough to optimally burn fat yet and that injuries are more likely if the body is not warm enough. If you are a morning exerciser, make sure you WARM UP and STRETCH FIRST.

Evening Exercise and Sleep

Most research supports the idea that exercise can improve sleep quality. But does exercising too late in the evening keep you up? Studies have shown improvements in sleep no matter the time of the work out. It is not clear yet if exercising at night keeps you up. One study even showed that vigorous exercise 30 minutes before bedtime does not keep you awake.

The Bottom Line

The good news is that you get to decide the best time for you to exercise based upon your personal goals, schedule and lifestyle. Ideally, you should pick a time that you are able to stick with consistently and make part of your daily or weekly schedule.

If you are training for a competition, it's wise to modify your training to accommodate the event start time. And don't forget that it's always wise to warm up before you workout.

So as far as the question goes, when is the best time of day to exercise, I have decided that for me there is no perfect time of day. As long as I get it done! For me the best time varies each day, depending upon such variables as when my baby happens to nap, my kids' home school schedule and how much sleep I got the night before.

What do you think? When is YOUR optimal workout time? Food for thought!