What Is the Best Time to Go for a Run?

If you’re new to running, you may be wondering when is the best time to do it. Do you only have time in the morning or at lunchtime? Are you a night owl who feels the more motivated at night?

While not everyone gets to choose what time of day to run during the week, you’ll still find benefits running in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

See our breakdown of the pros and cons of running at various times of the day, plus our tips for maximizing your performance.

Benefits of running in the morning

Running in the morning has many physical and mental benefits. For those who struggle with motivation, stopping exercise early can be a good way to form a healthy habit.

On the other hand, it can be difficult to set your alarm an hour or two earlier in the morning and force yourself to get out of bed if you’re still groggy.

Advantage:

Jogging or running in the morning can give you an energy boost that keeps you going throughout the day and improves your concentration.⁽¹⁾

A morning run routine can also lower blood pressure and improve your sleep pattern.⁽²⁾ It also speeds up a person’s metabolism, which improves burn calories in everything The day

Also, running in the morning gives your body a healthy dose of oxygen. The higher oxygen content in the morning air makes breathing easier.

Disadvantage:

Running in the morning can be more difficult than at other times of the day.

Immediately after waking up, your joints may feel stiff and your muscles tense and inflexible. This means that you don’t have the necessary muscle control and coordination when you run.

Take the time to incorporate a Dynamic warm-up routine. Yon the mornings before your run, so you don’t fight against the resistance of your muscles while you run.

Running at lunchtime or early afternoon

Do you want to avoid a slump in the afternoon? Going for a run at noon or in the early afternoon is a great way to break up the day and combat fatigue.

Advantage:

The middle of the day has the best conditions for a high intensity run. You are not too tired after a long day at work and you have had breakfast or lunch for energy.

Also, it will give you more energy to finish your tasks at work. Just half an hour of moderate exercise can eliminate cognitive fatigue.⁽³⁾

Disadvantage:

Running after lunch can be very exhausting.

Your body needs more time to digest depending on how heavy and rich your lunch was. To avoid having to deal with digestive issues (eg, stomach cramps) during intense interval training, follow these guidelines:

• wait about 30 minutes after a light snack before going for a run.
• If you ate a big lunch, wait 1.5 to 2 hours before your race.
• If running after eating doesn’t make you feel good, do your workout before lunch.

However, it can be more difficult to run because your energy reserves are not completely filled.

Running at night or in the afternoon.

For some of us, running at night or in the afternoon is the only time we have to exercise. It can also be a great way to blow off steam or relax after a long day.

While it’s best to avoid high-intensity runs right before bed, running at night in general can help you catch more Zs.

Advantage:

Are you stressed at the end of a busy work day and having trouble relaxing? A quiet drag race it can help you vent. You may also have more time in the evening for a proper warm up and stretch.

Disadvantage:

Traditionally, we’ve been told that exercising late at night can affect our sleep schedule due to the production of cortisol, a stress hormone.

However, a 2019 study concluded that exercising at night can help you sleep, as long as it’s more than an hour before bed.⁽⁴⁾ That means you should schedule your runs at least 2 hours before bed, and avoid high-intensity exercise like interval training or running.

Find the best time to run based on your individual goals

No matter what time of day you run, there are advantages and disadvantages, as well as different training effects. Think about your individual goals when scheduling your runs. Do you want to lose weight, reduce stress, Be fasteror run further?

One study looked at optimal training times for men and women. For men who want to lose weight, nighttime exercise has been shown to increase fat oxidation and reduce systolic blood pressure and fatigue.⁽⁵⁾ In the same study, morning exercise for women reduced belly fat, while evening workouts were good for muscle function.

No matter what time of day you run, there are pros and cons.

Here are the main takeaways:

• If you want to maintain your performance level, you can train at any time of the day.
• Make sure you heat up properly.
• Midday runs are best for intense interval training to improve your performance.
• Training runs for general rest and recovery they are best done at night.

Basically, the best time to run is when it’s easiest for you. Factors such as daily schedules, sleep patterns, work, leisure time, family, and meal times often play a role in planning your careers.

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