Exercise offers a wealth of benefits, but the time you do it can also impact results.
When it comes to weight loss and muscle building, the time of day that you work out matters, according to research. But there is no one time that works best for everyone, as findings show the best time to exercise differs for men and women.
A 12-week study, published in Frontiers in Physiology, found that women hoping to burn belly fat and lower blood pressure should move in the morning, but those looking to build muscle should exercise in the evening.
Meanwhile, men were found to benefit more from evening exercise, which is also the optimal time of day for anyone working out for better mental health. Of course, exercise at any time of day is better than doing none at all.
Researchers at Skidmore college set out to uncover the "elusive" ideal time by examining 30 male and 26 female participants who are all healthy and aged between 25 and 55 years old.
Considering how males and females respond differently to exercise, results showed that women in particular may benefit from doing it in the morning rather than in the evening.
Things like hormones, sleep cycles and other biological differences may indicate why there appears to be a gender difference, the Mirror reported.
To come to conclusions, researchers examined the 56 participants on a special diet over a three-month period. One group exercised for an hour before 8.30am, while another did the same activities between 6pm and 8pm.
The study's lead author Dr Paul Arciero, professor of health and human physiological sciences at Skidmore College, told the BBC that people "have more opportunity to benefit" from exercising early.
Their findings indicated a morning programme was particularly beneficial for women wanting to reduce belly fat and their blood pressure, but found they were better off trying to build muscle in the evening.
Evening exercise was also said to be better for a woman's mood and for men, evening workouts are beneficial for heart health as well as mood. Dr Arciero said: "[Evening exercise is] ideal for men interested in improving heart and metabolic health, as well as emotional wellbeing."
The time of day men exercised appeared to have less of an impact on them. The programme looked at already healthy people but could be applied to those who are overweight in the future.
Does it matter what time of day you exercise?
Regular exercise and a balanced diet are still beneficial to your health, even if some research indicates that exercising at a certain time helps you lose more weight.
So, while exercising in the morning may be better for women, any exercise overall is good for your health and better than doing nothing. Dr Arciero said: "The best time for exercise is the best time you can do it and fit it into your schedule."
For more information, Dr Paul Arciero's book The PRISE Life: Protein Pacing for Optimal Health and Performance details the exercise routine used in the study.
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