There is no clear answer to the question “when is it better to run, in the morning or in the evening” - there are a lot of advantages in support of both options, but there are also disadvantages. Psychologists recommend listening to your own body and going for a run at the most comfortable time. In order for sport to bring the desired results, it must be enjoyable - which is why it is so important to allocate the most optimal hours for it. But what time is best to run - ask yourself, it is quite likely that you will not choose either the evening or the morning and will happily run through the park during the day.
To make it easier for you to decide, we will give you the advantages and disadvantages of each schedule, and tell you what time is best to run, in the morning or in the evening, depending on your goal.
Morning running is bad for your health
There is an opinion that morning jogging is harmful to health, because the body, which has not yet woken up, will have a hard time bearing the load. This is usually said by lovers of evening walks or those who simply find it difficult to get up in the morning. It must be said that the harm of morning jogging is a myth. People who run in the morning, as a bonus, receive increased body tone, a boost of energy and a good mood. In the morning, the body mobilizes its resources and is ready to spend them on sports.
True, it is necessary to make a reservation here; you should not be guided by the principle: “When you get up, then it’s morning.” The optimal time for a morning jog is considered to be between 11 and 12 noon. Unfortunately, not everyone can adhere to such a schedule. Therefore, we have to shift the running time to the evening.
What are the benefits of running in the evening?
Not so long ago, it was believed that the best time for jogging for the purpose of improving health or losing excess weight was early in the morning, immediately after waking up. Intensive morning exercises were actively cultivated, accompanied by mandatory jogging, sometimes over fairly long distances.
Many people know how difficult it is to get out of a warm bed for a run, and those men who served in the armed forces remember army morning exercises as a bad dream.
But if in the army a quick rise and physical activity immediately after it is a severe necessity to maintain combat readiness, then is it worth it for a civilian to experience torment if he really doesn’t want to?
And so sports medicine specialists, at first timidly and little by little, and then more and more confidently, began to declare a greater advantage, in general for the health of the human body, of evening running over morning running.
Let's consider all the pros and cons of health-improving running in the evenings:
| Advantages | Flaws |
| No need to wake up early. | In the evening, the air in cities is more polluted |
| Anti-stress effect | Physical fatigue after a working day |
| There is an effect of reducing physical fatigue | Insomnia may occur. |
| More free time for training |
As you can see, evening running time has both its advantages and disadvantages. However, it is worth noting that the advantages are a little more significant, and the manifestations of various troubles can be avoided by properly organizing your training.
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Evening jogging normalizes sleep
Adherents of evening jogging note that running helps them take a break from work or study, “switch”, free their heads from unnecessary thoughts, and fight stress. After an evening run, it is easier to fall asleep, and your sleep becomes calmer and stronger. Should we believe this? It’s worth it, though, if you’re a night owl.
The main advice from doctors is: “The jogging time should be chosen taking into account your biological rhythms.” If you're a morning person and can easily wake up at five in the morning, then why not spend a little time jogging before breakfast? And if you are a night owl and it’s hard for you to even get out of bed in the morning, then what kind of jogging can we talk about? It will be much easier and more enjoyable for you to run in the evenings, when you feel a surge of energy and are ready for sporting feats.
Morning or evening
The question of when is the best time to run for health seems insoluble. Both morning and evening workouts have a large number of adherents. Those who like to sleep are sure that early rise and high loads while running immediately after waking up can harm the body. The key to success from morning jogging depends on quality preparation. You can’t go straight from bed to workout. Before running:
- take a contrast shower;
- drink a glass of water;
- eat a light breakfast.
Don't forget to stretch your muscles by doing a short warm-up. If we talk about what time is best to run in the morning, then the optimal range is 6–8 hours. With the right approach, the body will receive a charge of positivity and energy. For those who want to lose weight, this is the best option - since the level of glucose in the blood is minimal, energy is spent from fat deposits.
The downside to running in the afternoon is that it may not happen. After a hard day at work, it will be more tempting to relax on the couch in front of the TV. In the evening, homework or cultural recreation with family and friends may distract you from training. Those who find the time and courage to run will be lucky enough to shed the weight that has accumulated during the day. However, training should be carried out at least 2 hours before bedtime, otherwise insomnia may occur.
What time of day is best to run is up to everyone to decide for themselves. You need to focus on your own rhythm and listen to your body, then the training will bring maximum benefit.
Where is the best place to run?
Running is a sport that practically does not require special conditions or additional equipment, but it is still better to run where there are few people. Not only will this reduce the risk of collisions, but it will also allow you to independently regulate the intensity of your workout. An ideal place for jogging would be a stadium with a special coating or a nearby park. Both options, by the way, have their pros and cons.
The stadium has all the conditions for comfortable and safe running, but in this case, running turns into a workout, and it will be more difficult for you to relax and simply enjoy the process. Jogging in a park is more like a walk, especially in good weather, but parks do not have special surfaces for running, so it is important to choose shoes that are suitable for park jogging. Of course, you can run indoors, at home or in the gym, but this option is preferable in winter or in bad weather.
A little about the benefits
If there is still debate about what time of day is best to run, then the usefulness of training is beyond doubt. Scientists have long established that jogging not only allows you to get rid of extra centimeters, but also has other positive properties. Regular exercise helps:
- improving the functioning of the cardiac and vascular systems;
- normalization of blood pressure;
- strengthening the immune system;
- reducing the amount of cholesterol;
- activation of metabolism.
These are the main properties of running; everything can be listed ad infinitum. However, before you start training, you should soberly assess your capabilities. This will allow you to choose the right load that will help achieve the desired results. For people with congenital heart disease, certain diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems, running is generally contraindicated. You should stop training if you feel unwell or have a fever.
How to train yourself to jog
Jogging should become a habit, then it will no longer be a chore or a means of losing weight. For beginners, it’s better to start not even with running, but with walking. If you are used to leading a sedentary lifestyle and do not walk much, then jogging will become a serious stress for the body. Walking will help prepare the body for increasing loads gradually. Walk, then you can start alternating between walking and running, and then go jogging completely. The duration and intensity of jogging also needs to be regulated and increased gradually.
The body should not work to the limit. At first, run in sets of 15 minutes, so you will understand how many approaches you can do without overload. Then the time of approaches can be increased; it is believed that on average a run should take about 45 minutes.
If you run in the evening: benefits and harms
So, when is it better to run - in the morning or in the evening, let's move on to analyzing the benefits of evening sprinting:
- Jogging is great for calming your nerves, so it can serve as both an antidepressant and a relaxant. Sometimes, after a difficult day, we really need both;
- Running in the evening helps relieve tension and discharge, throw out accumulated negativity and stress;
- Evening jogging is a great help for insomnia.
In our search for the truth in the question “when can you run, morning or evening,” we came to the disadvantages of training at the end of the working day:
- Sometimes after a hard day there is simply no energy left for an evening sprint, but you probably still have household chores waiting for you at home;
- You can't eat before training, so you won't be able to grab a quick snack and run out to the track. If you consider that your last meal was at lunchtime, then by the evening you will be very hungry and you simply won’t have the energy to go for a run.
Things to remember
For jogging you need the right sports shoes. It should have enhanced shock-absorbing characteristics to support the foot and reduce stress on the joints. Inappropriate shoes can not only kill the benefits of jogging, but also make it dangerous.
We must not forget about warming up. Warming up should increase the elasticity of the muscles, so before jogging you should definitely warm up for about 15 minutes, do turns, bends, lunges and squats, this will reduce the risk of getting sprained muscles and ligaments.
Before jogging, as before any physical activity, you should not eat to avoid heaviness in the stomach, but you can drink a glass of still mineral water or natural juice, and also take a contrast shower. While jogging, you need to monitor your breathing: breathe calmly, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
When is the best time to run to lose weight?
Now, let's finally look at when you need to run, in the morning or in the evening, to lose weight - what do nutritionists say about this? There is no clear answer to this question - there are two polar points of view, each of which has the right to life:
- When a person runs in the morning, before breakfast, to get energy, the body turns to accumulated fats, thereby eliminating them faster;
- If you run in the evening, the process of burning extra pounds continues throughout the night, and in this way the athlete gets rid of extra calories eaten during the day. By the way, do you know how many calories are consumed when running?
To summarize, we emphasize that both types of runners lose weight as a result, but only if they eat a healthy diet, run on an empty stomach, exercise regularly and gradually increase the load.
Let's sum it up
Overall, jogging is a good habit. Remember that you can run both in the morning and in the evening, depending on your biological rhythm. For jogging, it is better to choose stadiums or parks; in the cold season, you can train indoors. Running to lose weight is also possible, but this should not be the main goal. Regularity is important, not intensity; it’s better to start with walking, and only then gradually move on to full-fledged jogging. Physical activity should not be done without warming up to reduce the risk of sprains and injuries. Don't skimp on the right shoes; they will protect your feet and joints and make your runs more comfortable. Enjoy!
Is it necessary to run every day?
Daily jogging is a reason for joy. You were able to overcome yourself and take up sports seriously. But is it necessary to run every day or can you limit yourself to a few workouts a week? Both options are fine.
Running every day is useful if your goal is to achieve athletic results, tone muscles or lose weight. In this case, constant load will have a positive effect and speed up the process of achieving results. But one day of rest during the training week should be present.
If your goal is to build muscle in your buttocks and thighs, then daily running is not suitable. In order for muscles to grow, they need to be given rest. Limit yourself to 3-4 runs per week. The rest of the time, just rest or train other areas of the body.
How long should a morning run last for a beginner runner? This is important
Jogging for beginners. In any type of sports activity for your own body, you should start everything very gradually, increasing the load and observing the measure.
1) Sportswear according to the season. Only sports shoes.
2) You need to start with a warm-up. This can be an intense step, several squats. This is necessary to warm up the muscles.
Newbie mistakes include excessive and frequent exercise in the first week, wearing the wrong shoes, and incorrect breathing technique. Let's eliminate at least the first problem.
To do this, make the entire first week preparatory. You can even start with a brisk walk. We'll start running a little later. About 20 minutes at first. In one day.
Next week - we switch to jogging, no more than 20 minutes, mandatory warm-up before the process.
It takes two weeks to get used to it. Now you can bring your runs to 40-60 minutes. You should master correct posture, breathing, and proper recovery after training.
