Which is better – morning or evening workouts? I’m a health journalist who tried both – here’s what I discovered

This is a debate that has been raging in the fitness world for decades. “Is it better to work out in the morning or at night?”

If you’re an early riser, you’ll probably tell me there’s nothing better than breaking a sweat at sunrise and before sitting at your desk for eight hours.

But night owls will rave about how exercising after dark releases the stress of the day.

Both groups can cherry-pick scientific studies to support their claims.

A 2024 Australian study showed that people who exercised at night had a lower risk of developing heart disease and dying than those who exercised in the morning.

Meanwhile, a 2021 study concluded that morning exercise is better for weight loss because you move more.

Personally, I always exercise in the morning, so I’m not afraid to exercise after a long day at work.

But I wanted to see if I could change up my routine and break out of the training slump I’ve been slacking off on for the last month.

I also thought I needed to participate in some form of physical activity that included lots of carbohydrates and gelato before my vacation to Italy.

After work, I took a 6:30pm class at SLT Fitness Studio in downtown New York City, which combined Pilates, cardio, and strength training.

So we began a two-week experiment. One week I trained in the evening, and another week I continued with my usual morning routine.

The situation is as follows.

Get off to a rocky start

That first Monday, I was supposed to start my after-work fitness routine, but I had gotten so used to finishing my workout in the morning that I completely forgot to exercise once I got home.

I realized this while walking my dog ​​after dinner, decided to use this as training, and walked 2.5 miles with him.

I felt guilty for slacking off, but my dog ​​really enjoyed the long walk.

The next day I decided to actually exercise and went for a (very slow) jog.

Running is not my favorite form of exercise, but since the weather was nice, I went for about 3 miles along the Hudson River.

Although it felt good to run while watching the sunset, I was very tired and I couldn’t help but think that it was affecting the effectiveness of my jog. Especially considering it took me about 2 minutes more per mile than my normal 9 minute split time.

Also, by the time dinner was over, I was even hungrier. I hadn’t eaten anything since 1pm, so I burned off some energy and calories while running.

I mean, I definitely ate too much. What was supposed to be a dinner of just chickpeas and vegetables turned out to also include popcorn, hummus, sour cream, and onion crackers.

Additionally, at 8:30 p.m., it was 90 minutes later than my usual dinner time and too close to my 9:30 p.m. bedtime to digest properly.

life gets in the way

The first night of my evening fitness routine, I forgot to train, so I took a long walk with my dog

Wednesday, I had a doctor’s appointment at 6:30pm, and by the time I got home 90 minutes later, I had accepted the fact that training was not on my schedule.

I felt guilty about skipping my workouts, but at the same time, I realized that working out in the evening gave my fitness routine too many chances to conflict with my schedule, making it easier to make excuses not to work out.

To get motivated for my next night’s PM workout, I signed up for SLT, a boutique fitness class that combines Pilates, cardio, and strength training.

I had been looking forward to it all day, but by the time we left at 6:30, I was tired and hungry.

This workout was very effective and I was grateful to my energetic trainer, Amy, who helped me learn more advanced movements.

After class, Amy told me that she personally loves training at night.[s] My morning should be a little later. ”

However, Zoe, another instructor at SLT, says that some people find it difficult to exercise because at night they get into the mindset of “it’s time to go home” and in the morning they’re trying to get out of bed as soon as possible. he said. It may seem easier to just get out of the house and get over it.

Cardiologist Dr. Eric Van Iterson said The Cleveland Clinic recommends training at least an hour before you plan to go to bed, as training at night can interfere with falling asleep.

I had a lot of fun during the workout, but I knew I still had 35 minutes to go home and then I had to make dinner.

Hungry Alexa joins the chat

When I walked in the door a little after 8pm, my husband immediately noticed that I was annoyed. Because I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch and all I wanted to do was sleep.

He was preparing dinner and I kept asking how long it would take for it to be ready. He told me that “Hungry Alexa” needed to “relax” and suggested that for the sake of our marriage, I no longer exercise at night.

My morning training week, Monday and Tuesday, included two Peloton Valley classes at home.

As my after-work workouts drew to a close on Friday, I was so sore from the class the night before that I could only muster up the energy to take a low-impact 20-minute digital Peloton yoga class in my living room. Ta. We did a quick stretching session before calling it a night.

I was looking forward to getting some rest over the weekend and getting back to my normal early morning routine.

I personally don’t like PM fitness routines, but you might benefit from training at night. related Increases flexibility, improves aerobic performance and muscle strength.

sweat before sunrise

Bright and early Monday morning, I woke up and took a digital Peloton Valley class in my apartment. I had no problem getting out of bed at 6am and moving onto my training mat for 30 minutes.

Tuesday was no different. One of the reasons I wake up so early is to make sure I have enough time in the morning. So, after training, you can make a protein shake, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast and drink coffee.

And the benefits of morning training extend beyond my daily routine.

The morning workout is related Morning exercise improves fat burning and appetite suppression, which lowers blood pressure, improves sleep, and helps you lose weight. However, I refuse to fixate on the number on the scale and don’t weigh myself regularly.

I love my time to myself in the morning and feel it helps me focus before starting my day.

Wednesday I headed to Club Pilates for a 6am class. Thankfully, the studio is next door to my apartment, so the commute wasn’t bad, but it was a little uncomfortable to go outside while it was still dark.

I strolled across the street from my apartment for my 6am Pilates class.

Friday I went to another training class before sunset. This time [solidcore]it’s also across the street from my apartment.

But I loved the community spirit that everyone in the class had. None of us wanted to stay up at dawn, but we felt a sense of camaraderie, eager to make hard choices before the rest of the city woke up.

You’ll also get to know your “6 a.m. crew” and look forward to meeting your workout buddies, which will motivate you to get out of bed.

My building has a great gym, so on Thursday I took advantage of it and did a 30 minute HiiT workout starting at 6:30am. I loved sweating and being productive while others were just rolling out of bed.

And even though it was a tough workout, I didn’t feel tired. In fact, there was more energy.

Friday was another 6am class, this time. [solidcore]This is a Pilates training class.

The energetic music, packed classes, and instructor Gina really motivated me. Training is hard, but I was really proud of myself for being able to do something so tough before the sun came out.

I had the gym all to myself for my 5:30 a.m. training session.

Gina told me that she likes to exercise in the morning because it wakes up her mind and body. Therefore, exercising too late in the day can make it difficult to fall asleep. And I agreed.

When my two-week experiment ended with a final hamstring stretch, [solidcore] I reflected on my experiments in class.

Exercising in the morning will help you feel better for the rest of the day because you’ll be releasing a lot of endorphins, the happy hormones that are produced by exercise.

I also tend to make healthier decisions. There’s no need to ruin an hour of hard work with a greasy pizza for lunch.

But the week I worked out in the evening, I found myself thinking, “I’m going to work out tonight, so I can just burn off the fries later.”

And while my dog ​​may have enjoyed our walk training, my husband definitely didn’t enjoy my grumpy mood.

Add to that a lack of motivation, conflicts with after-work plans, and training amnesia, and it’s safe to say you keep setting your alarm for an early morning workout.