Is there a best time to exercise?



With our already busy lives, finding time to exercise can feel like one more thing on our 'to do' list. So maybe it would help if there was 'a best time' to exercise? Could exercising at certain times help maximise our fitness goals? The answer is 'yes', but it's easier than you think – no matter who you are, or when you like to work out.



There are clear benefits to exercising in the morning. Many of us have more free time compared to later in the day, and it may therefore be easier for us to stick to a morning workout routine. A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that participants who exercised in the morning, increased their physical activity throughout the day, were less distracted by food, and slept better. Exercising on an empty stomach before breakfast could also burn more fat and increase metabolism, which means you'll continue to burn calories throughout the day.



So, good news for early birds, but what if you're not a morning person? Working out in the afternoon or evening also has benefits, just different ones. For example, your body's ability to perform peaks in the afternoon, according to a 2010 study by the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. Also, in the afternoon and evening, your reaction time is quickest, and your heart rate and blood pressure are lowest, which reduce your chance of injury while improving performance.



But does any of this change depending on whether you're a man or a woman? Our bodies are different, after all, so the best time to exercise may be different too. A 2022 study from Skidmore College, New York, looked at exactly this question and the results showed that there are some differences. Want to reduce your blood pressure and you're a woman? Exercise in the morning. Want to improve your heart health and you're a man? Evening is better for you. But, ultimately, the study found that there are clear benefits for both sexes to exercising at either time of day.



So what time is best? It seems the answer is: whatever time is best for you!



词汇表

maximise fitness goals [ˈmæksɪmaɪz][ˈfɪtnəs] 最大程度地实现健身目标

workout routine [ˈwɜːkaʊt ruːˈtiːn] 锻炼计划，锻炼习惯

physical activity 体育活动，身体活动

burn fat 燃烧脂肪

metabolism [məˈtæbəlɪzəm] 新陈代谢

calorie [ˈkæləri] 卡路里（热量单位）

throughout the day 一整天，全天

early bird 早起的人，早到的人

morning person 习惯早起的人，早晨精力充沛的人

peak [piːk] 达到顶峰，达到巅峰状态，达到最大值

Scandinavian [ˌskændɪˈneɪviən] 斯堪的纳维亚的；斯堪的纳维亚人

heart rate 心率

blood pressure  血压

Skidmore College [skɪdmɔː(r) ˈkɒlɪdʒ] 斯基德莫尔学院（位于纽约）



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