Is There a Best Time to Workout??

At least once a week, as I'm getting ready to go to sleep, I think to myself "Tomorrow I'm going to start the day with a workout first thing". But every morning I hit snooze and stay in bed longer, opting to do my usual evening workout. That always gets me thinking does it really matter what time of day you workout? What I have found is that each time of day has something to offer.

• Morning Workouts-Appalachian State University, recently did a study that found that morning workouts are best if you want a better night's sleep. Those who workout in the morning, slept longer and had deeper sleep cycles, than those who exercised later in the day. Those in the morning session, spent up to 75% more time in the reparative sleep stage.Sleep can have a huge impact on your body both physically and mentally. Adequate sleep helps to decrease stress, anxiety, maintain a health weight, and lower blood pressure.
• Afternoon Workouts-Research have found that late afternoon/early evening workouts get higher power outputs. By also prevent injury by working out in the afternoon, because the core body temperatures are higher, making muscles and joints more adaptable to exercise. Morning workouts just need to be started with a warm-up to help prevent injury.
• Night Workouts-In a recent study they found that those exercising in the evening verses the group in the morning, the evening group had better overall weight loss goals, losing more fat mass than morning walkers. But research also shows that exercising in the morning in a fasted state is better for weight loss because our bodies burn more fat for fuel.

The things is, if you are getting exercise at least once a day its better than not working out at all. It also helps to try out a few different times and seeing what works for you, which time of day do you feel like you can give you best performance, and get the most out of your workout. Making your workout your own routine that works for you, produces the best results, and motivates you on toward your fitness goals.