Most people are working out in the evening. Is there a best time of day to exercise?
Mark Wahlberg wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to exercise. Same with Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson. Michelle Obama set her alarm clock for 4:30 in the morning to get in a sweat. The idea that successful people get their workouts done early is persistent — but that's not the reality for most. In fact, the peak time for wellness activities across the globe was 6 p.m. local time in 2024, according to Wellhub's end-of-year trends report. The subscription-based service, formerly known as Gympass, collected data over the past year, coming to the conclusion that "wellness hour is the new happy hour."
It's not the only one saying that. Strava, an activity tracker that allows people to measure their progress while connecting with others, also released its 2024 "Year in Sport" report. The app recognized a drastic increase in running and walking clubs throughout the year, 59% and 52%, respectively, as people look to fitness as a means of socializing. Data illustrated that the most popular time for weekday group runs was between 6 and 7 p.m.
This isn't necessarily new to 2024. Future, a fitness coaching app, revealed that the 6 p.m. hour was the most active time for its members in 2023.
All of this begs the question: Is there a best time of day to exercise? Well, let's look at the research. A 2023 study published in Obesity said that early morning is favored for its promising association with weight loss. However, that's not the only goal of physical activity. Other studies have evaluated different benefits of specific time-of-day workouts by studying the impact on a person's body and physiological processes. Here's what else we know.
Evening exercise is optimal for strength training
A 2012 study indicated the body is primed for exercises requiring short and intense bursts of activity in the evening. The same activities may be more difficult to perform in the morning. "Research suggests you might have longer and stronger workouts later in the day than in the morning," fitness expert Jillian Michaels said in Shape.
Despite that study's observation of greater strength in the evening, a 2019 study suggests that increases in strength and muscle size from a strength-based workout are the same day and night.
Aerobic exercise can be done at any time
Aerobic activity, the type of workout primarily responsible for weight loss management, isn't as impacted by time of day as strength-based exercises are, a 2017 study found — meaning aerobic exercise is just as effective no matter the time of day. However, fasted exercise — working out after a 10-to-12-hour span of not eating — can increase fat loss for up to two hours after physical activity. "This makes morning sessions the most practical," sports dietitian Lori Russell said in Byrdie.
Sleep is likely to be disturbed by late night workouts
But it depends on the type of activity. According to strength and conditioning coach Eric Curry in Science for Sports, "exercising later in the night may hinder sleep quality because it is harder to sleep with an increased heart rate and core body temperature. If late night is the only time you can fit in a workout, selecting less vigorous exercise such as yoga and avoiding high-intensity exercise is suggested."
Morning exercise may be more consistent
Keeping the timing of physical activity consistent helps turn exercise into a habit — and staying consistent is easier to do when working out in the a.m. As exercise physiologist Ciarán Friel told the New York Times, mornings may be better for people because this gives them greater control over their schedule throughout the day.
Early workouts can turn you into a morning person
Sleep patterns, body temperature, hunger and hormones are all part of natural daily rhythms that are impacted by existing biological and physiological functions. However, experts and studies have shown that such factors are malleable, so making an effort to wake up earlier for a morning exercise routine will eventually feel more natural. "What we're trying to do is not just shift your bedtime, but actually shift your entire circadian clock to be earlier," cognitive neuroscientist Kimberly Fenn told the New York Times.
Bottom line: The best time for exercise is whenever you want to do it
Personal preference can't be dismissed when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of a workout, a 2021 study confirmed. As Marisa Mickey, assistant professor of exercise science at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass., told Real Simple, "The best time to exercise is when you can take time for yourself and put your full effort into completing your workout."
