What's the best time to exercise? Morning, Midday or Evening!

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A lot of people ask me "What is the best time to exercise?" Is it morning, midday or on an evening?

The human works within a body clock or a carcadian rhythm, this is a unique biological pattern over 24 hours in a day. The carcadian rhythm effects:

• Body Temperature
• Metabolism
• Energy Levels
• Hunger
• Blood Pressure

Everyone has a different carcadian rhythm this can depend on your daily lifestyle e.g. Sleep, work schedule, exercise patterns, the time of day you have your meals etc.

Benefits of exercising on a morning

• Early risers that exercise tend to stick to an exercise program more than late exercisers.
• Early risers also claim it enhances their mood
• Exercising in the morning can boost physical ad mental energy for the rest of the day

Benefits of exercising midday or lunchtime

• Reaction time is better
• Improved lung capacity
• Exercise seems less hard work than the morning
• You have a higher body temperature at this time, which lowers resting heart rate and blood pressure
• Increase in energy and strength- means you can work longer and harder
• Exercising in the middle of the day increases blood flow to the brain, making you more alert and sharper in the afternoon

Benefits of exercising on an evening

• It's the best biological efficiency for most people 
• World records are made at this time of the day
• Improved strength at this time
• Evening exercise can regulate the portion of food consumed at dinner 
• Good for stress relief as most of us have a work pattern 9am-5pm and it's busy.
• Vigorous activity before bedtime can interfere with sleep
• Recommended to sleep 1-3 hours before bed

Body temperatures progressively rise from waking up and then lower later in the day. Your carcadian rhythm dictates when your body temperature reaches it's peak. Exercise is most effective at this point.

References

• M, Torii, H, Nakayama, T Sakaki. (1995) Thermoregulation of exercising men in the morning rise and evening fall phases of internal temperature.
• C, Melby, C, Scholl, G, Edwards, and R, Bullough. (1993) Effect of acute resistance exercise on postexercise energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate.
• H, S, Driver, G, G, Rogers, D Mitchell (1994) Prolonged endurance exercise and sleep disruption.

Find us on... Facebook-Meso Fitness, Twitter- @MesoFitness, Email- mesofitness@gmail.com