A lot of people, like myself, tend to believe that taking a nice run first thing in the morning is a great way to start off the day. Although it may feel refreshing and will definitely wake you up, is this really the best time for your body to be exercising?
Frequent runners and trainers have reported that running in the evening time makes them feel better and is even easier to do. However, they weren’t quite sure why. Scientists have stated that the cause of this is circadian rhythms, or small fluctuations in the performance of bodily functions on a 24-hour basis. This basically says that you can improve your ability to do something if you choose the right time of day to do it. Interesting huh? Well, let’s look more into this.
Pertaining to running in particular, our body must complete many functions in order to perform well. For example, our body temperature must be at its peak and scientists have found that our body temperature is lowest in the early morning. If our body temperature is low, our muscles will be stiff making it harder for runners to perform at their best. Lung function is also poor early in the morning due to low body temperature, therefore, the runner will get tired easier and quicker. (Research has actually shown that the morning is the most common time of the day for heart attacks and strokes to occur.) This muscle stiffness and poor lung performance will cause the runner to exert more effort than needed leaving him/her more prone to injuries.
So when is the best time to go for a run? Well, researchers say that the best time for exercise is after your day is over. Typically, this would be after school or work and after your body has consumed enough food and nutrition to produce high levels of energy. Body temperature is at its peak in the evening and your muscles are most flexible because they have been working throughout the day. Running at the same speed that you may have run in the morning will seem much easier in the evening. A study by Dr. Boris Medarov of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, shows that lung function was more than 6% in the evening than in the morning. “Everything feels more relaxed and the miles go by quicker,” he said, “the only problem you would typically have to face is psychological.” This is a a very significant point he makes during his study. It is true that after a long day of work or school, we are not mentally prepared to then go running and put forth the effort needed to exercise. Although our bodies are physically at their peak, it doesn’t mean they are at their peak mentally as well.
All in all, if you want to train or reach a personal best time over a certain distance, it is highly suggested that you do so in the evening. Although it may take some getting used to and will definitely take some motivation, your body will perform at its highest potential. There are a few tips that you can follow about safety and technique if you do choose to run at night and you can find them here.
http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/morning-noon-or-night?page=single
Is it Better to Run Late at Night versus Early in the Morning?
http://running.competitor.com/2012/10/training/what-is-the-best-time-of-day-to-run_9031
It sees like your body temperature is a major factor when it comes to exercising. I never knew that. I think you should of wrote about the study by Dr. Boris Medarov more into detail and exactly what they did to determine the 6%. What study did they do? Was this experimental? How many people were involved? All of this things are left out that would be very important to mention. On the contrary, I found an article where Dr. Weil said it’s okay to exercise in the morning or 2 to 3 hours after a meal. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401297/When-is-the-Best-Time-to-Exercise.html I have seen benefits of people working out in the morning and in the afternoon. I think whenever your schedule permits you to exercise is okay. I have crew practice every morning at 6 am and I have lost weight. Lack of sleep and nutrients could be contributing factors into whether your body is stable enough to be able to exercise and be awake in the morning.
The information in this article actually makes a lot of sense. However, I think that there are many benefits to working out in the morning. You’ll start your day in a good mood and potentially make better dietary choices throughout your day. Here is an article on why it would be good to exercise in the morning!!
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/advice/a29423/15-reasons-why-you-should-work-out-in-the-morning/
This post is actually very helpful and can help me plan my days better when I want to include the gym. I actually tend to run more at night when I am home, after a long day just so that I can still be active but do not have to wake up earlier or try to squeeze it into my schedule. I had no idea that my body actually performs better at night, and over this past year I have improved substantially. Maybe this is the reason why. I always try to convince myself to go to the gym in the morning to start my day, so I’m really happy to find out that I no longer have to. Thank you so much for posting this, its definitely a huge help!