What is the best time of day to exercise?

If you plan to exercise during the day, certain times may have certain advantages, specifically during the morning.

 Sports shoes, illustration  (photo credit: INIMAGE)
Sports shoes, illustration
(photo credit: INIMAGE)

Studies show that since exercise causes the release of stimulating endorphins, meaning that exercise in the evening may make it difficult to fall asleep. That said, exercising in the evening is of course better than not exercising at all, if this is your only free time.

During lunch hours, exercise is sometimes less comfortable, as heavy meals may reduce our ability to be active. Additionally, exercising right after eating interferes with digestion.

So what are we left with? The morning.

It is true that not everyone has the time and opportunity to choose between times, but if you do, pay attention to another advantage of morning exercise: a study recently published in Cardiology Monthly examined whether there is a connection between heart disease and the time you exercise.

The researchers used data from over 86,000 people of normal weight or slightly overweight, over six years, and the frequency of heart attacks and other heart issues during this time. The measure they referred to this time was when they exercised – in the morning, in the middle of the day or in the evening.

According to the results, physical activity in the morning contributed to a significantly lower risk of heart disease and heart attacks, regardless of the amount of activity the people performed.

 Illustrative image of a woman exercising. (credit: PXHERE)
Illustrative image of a woman exercising. (credit: PXHERE)

Morning exercise also contributed to better sleep. The researchers even recommended adding a guideline for physical activity in the morning for anyone suffering from the risk of heart disease.