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| There’s no definitive answer on whether you should go to the gym at 6 a.m. vs. 6 p.m. But according to a 2026 study review, the time you exercise may affect your health in specific ways: |
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Morning exercise might enhance athletic performance. |
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Afternoon exercise may support recovery in non-athletes and help convert food to energy more easily in people with metabolic conditions. |
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Post-dinner exercise might help control blood glucose in type 2 diabetes. |
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Pre-meal exercise may reduce appetite for people with excess body weight. |
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Evening exercise can improve sleep quality if you have a sleep disorder, but it can disrupt sleep for others. |
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Another smaller 2022 study suggests that working out in the morning can help reduce abdominal fat and blood pressure in women, while exercising at night can increase muscular performance in women and lower blood pressure in men.
Depending on your health goals, you might want to prioritize timing accordingly. But the right time of day also depends on other important, realistic factors, such as your lifestyle, schedule, and energy levels.
Science aside, here’s what works best for the people on our team.
“I like working out at 4 in the morning (6 on a bad day). I also find peace in working out when I’m alone. For me, working out is like farting. I’m a little embarrassed about it, but the release feels so good, and I’d rather do it alone in a safe space. I also love watching the sun rise. My favorite part of these early workouts has been watching the ducklings on the pond near my place grow from babies into adults this summer.” — Timothy Mojica
“I always work out in the morning. If I think ‘I'll do it later,’ I inevitably get distracted, tired, stressed, or too busy with other things. I also like getting it out of the way and feeling slightly smug for the rest of the day, knowing I’ve done one positive thing for my health.” — Ruth Eagle
“When it comes to cardio or strength training, 100% morning! I feel way more motivated first thing, and I almost never regret waking up a bit early to get my day started off on the right foot. However, I’ve found that something like yoga can be pretty restorative in the evenings after a tiring workday or busy weekend.” — Lauryn Gladd
“I’ve always done lunchtimes. It helps to break up my day, which is especially useful when working UK and US time zones, and with a time when I have to finish, it can help with ensuring I make the time I have count.” — Robin Hough
“As much as I would love to get it done in the morning, since having kids, I’m just not willing to get up before the sun is up to do so. I found a good rhythm with doing it in the evening after kids are in bed, and I’ve been consistent, so why mess with it? Plus, I’m usually so overstimulated and worked up from the constant picking and pulling at me all day. And the whole dinnertime/bedtime routine with kids can really send cortisol levels off. So, I’ve come to appreciate the stress release at the end of the day. At first I was worried it would keep me awake, but my sleep quality has increased because I’m getting more cardio, and I just make sure to build in a lot of wind-down activities and good sleep hygiene habits for the rest of the evening.” — Catherine Conelly
“On weekdays, I mostly work out in the evenings. I find it’s when my mind is at its quietest and I’m not thinking about all the things I need to get done that day. It helps that my Pilates studio runs most of its classes after 5 p.m., so it’s easier for me to work it into my routine. However, on weekends, I love an early morning class. There is no joy when my alarm goes off, but when I’m done, I feel as though I’ve gained so many extra hours to my weekend!” — Anisha Mansuri
Need help making time to exercise? Check out our tips below. |
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| 💌 Over to you: What time do you prefer to exercise? Email wellnesswire@healthline.com to chime in! |
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| Support your muscles |
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| Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline’s or Optum Now’s vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Now are owned by RVO Health. |
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| Until next time, |
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Take care of yourself, and we’ll see
you again soon!
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