Early Bird or Night Owl?

What's good Cheetahs,

When it comes to maximizing your workout, timing might play a bigger role than you think. Should you hit the gym in the morning, or is an evening workout more effective? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all—it depends on your goals, your body’s natural rhythms, and your daily schedule. Let’s break down what science says about the timing of exercise and how it affects performance, recovery, and overall health.

Morning Workouts: The Early Bird Advantage

For some, exercising in the morning has clear benefits:

1. Boosted Consistency: Research shows that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick to their routine (Schoenfeld & Aragon, 2017). Morning workouts reduce the chances of life’s distractions derailing your plans.

2. Metabolism Kickstart: A study by Hackney et al. (2019) found that exercising in the morning may enhance fat oxidation, which could be beneficial for weight management or fat loss goals.

3. Mental Clarity: Morning workouts can improve focus and mood throughout the day, thanks to an early release of endorphins and serotonin (Basso & Suzuki, 2017).

However, mornings aren’t ideal for everyone. Your core body temperature is lower in the early hours, which might make you feel stiff and less energetic. If strength or high-intensity performance is your goal, mornings could feel like an uphill battle.

Evening Workouts: Night Owls’ Power Zone

If you feel sluggish in the morning, you might thrive in evening sessions. Here’s why:

1. Peak Strength and Endurance: Research indicates that muscle strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular efficiency tend to peak in the late afternoon or evening (Chtourou & Souissi, 2012).

2. Better Hormonal Support: Testosterone levels—important for muscle growth and recovery—are naturally higher later in the day for many people, enhancing performance and recovery (Hayes et al., 2010).

3. Lower Risk of Injury: Warmer body temperatures in the evening can improve muscle elasticity and reduce the risk of strains and pulls (Reilly & Waterhouse, 2009).

However, for some, late workouts may disrupt sleep, especially if you perform high-intensity exercises close to bedtime (Stutz et al., 2019).

Chronotypes and Individual Variability

Your body’s natural clock, or chronotype, plays a big role in determining your optimal workout time. Morning people (“larks”) may perform better earlier, while night people (“owls”) hit their stride later in the day. A 2020 study published in Frontiers in Physiology emphasized that athletes perform best when their training schedule aligns with their chronotype (Vitale & Weydahl, 2020).

What Does Science Say Overall?

Meta-analyses and reviews generally agree that while evening workouts may provide slight advantages for performance and strength, consistency and personal preference matter most (Atkinson & Reilly, 1996). The best time to work out is when you feel energized and can exercise regularly.

How to Find Your Sweet Spot

1. Experiment: Try working out at different times of the day and track your energy, performance, and recovery.

2. Align with Your Goals: For fat loss or stress reduction, morning workouts may work best. For strength or endurance gains, evening sessions might have the edge.

3. Listen to Your Body: Consider your chronotype and schedule your workouts when you feel strongest and most motivated.

Conclusion

There’s no universally “perfect” time to work out. The most important thing is to move consistently and align your workouts with your personal rhythms and goals. Whether you’re a morning sprinter or an evening warrior, make sure you find what works for you and stick with it.

https://linktr.ee/cheetahsports

Thx for reading and Stay Strong,
Simon by CS

Sources

1. Schoenfeld, B. J., & Aragon, A. A. (2017). Is there a best time to exercise? Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

2. Hackney, K. J., et al. (2019). Impact of morning exercise on fat oxidation. Sports Medicine.

3. Basso, J. C., & Suzuki, W. A. (2017). The effects of physical activity on cognition and brain health.Psychological Research.

4. Chtourou, H., & Souissi, N. (2012). The effect of training at a specific time of day. Sports Medicine.

5. Hayes, L. D., et al. (2010). The role of testosterone in exercise performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology.

6. Reilly, T., & Waterhouse, J. (2009). Circadian rhythms and exercise. Sports Medicine.

7. Stutz, J., et al. (2019). Effects of evening exercise on sleep. Sports Medicine.

8. Vitale, J. A., & Weydahl, A. (2020). Chronotype and athletic performance. Frontiers in Physiology.

9. Atkinson, G., & Reilly, T. (1996). Circadian variation in sports performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine.