Hello world-wide-web-neighbours! Today we’re happy to introduce our new intern here at Sunbears, Yuge Zhao! Not only she brought a lot of joy and excitement to our team, but within her first article written for our blog, she also answered one of the questions that’s on all of our minds…
Is it better to exercise in the morning or in the evening?!
Depending on our lifestyle, some of us like to exercise in the morning and some in the evening. So is there a time of day that is better for exercising?
Well, each has its advantages and disadvantages!
Outdoor Exercise — For those who like to exercise outdoors, studies have shown that outdoor exercise in most cases leads to less PM2.5 inhalation in the evening compared to the morning, and should therefore be prioritised over morning exercise. However, the patterns also varied seasonally and geographically, leading to different health advisories on the choice of exercise time.
Weight Loss — Regular morning exercise is better for losing weight, reasons which we have explored below.
Gender Differences — The best time of day to exercise varies by gender. For men, evening workouts are generally more effective than mornings. For women, on the other hand, there is a definite difference in the results brought about by exercising in the morning and in the evening.
For example, when it comes to muscle building, women work out better in the morning for the waist, abdomen, hips and legs, while they work out better in the evening for the arms. As for weight loss, women who exercised in the morning brought about more significant fat loss, according to the study, women who exercised in the morning lost an average of 10% of their abdominal fat, while those who exercised in the evening only lost 3%.
Conclusion
It is reasonable to exercise either in the morning or in the evening, the important thing is to choose the time and the way that suits you.
Suggestions
- Try to work out everyday at the same time.
- Morning exercise should be avoided for people with cardiovascular disease.
- Avoid strenuous exercise before bedtime.
Reference List
Ni, X.F., Peng, S.C. and Wang, J.Z., 2019. Is morning or evening better for outdoor exercise? An evaluation based on nationwide PM2. 5 data in China. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 19(9), pp.2093–2099
Schumacher, L.M., Thomas, J.G., Raynor, H.A., Rhodes, R.E. and Bond, D.S., 2020. Consistent morning exercise may be beneficial for individuals with obesity. Exercise and sport sciences reviews, 48(4), p.201.
Morning Exercise Reduces Abdominal Fat and Blood Pressure in Women; Evening Exercise Increases Muscular Performance in Women and Lowers Blood Pressure in Men. Frontiers in Physiology (2022). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.893783
Furtado, G.E., Letieri, R.V., Caldo‐Silva, A., Sardão, V.A., Teixeira, A.M., de Barros, M.P., Vieira, R.P. and Bachi, A.L.L., 2021. Sustaining efficient immune functions with regular physical exercise in the COVID‐19 era and beyond. European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 51(5), p.e13485.
Adams, V. and Linke, A., 2019. Impact of exercise training on cardiovascular disease and risk. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Molecular Basis of Disease, 1865(4), pp.728–734.
Walsh, N.P., Halson, S.L., Sargent, C., Roach, G.D., Nédélec, M., Gupta, L., Leeder, J., Fullagar, H.H., Coutts, A.J., Edwards, B.J. and Pullinger, S.A., 2021. Sleep and the athlete: narrative review and 2021 expert consensus recommendations. British journal of sports medicine, 55(7), pp.356–368.
