Sometimes, choosing a time to workout can be tougher than the workout itself. With buys work schedules, owning your own business, and dealing with family and friends, finding time to work out can seem impossible. There are two main theories on when it is best to work out. Morning versus evening.

Those that say working out in the morning is best say that –
1) It helps to give you more energy throughout the day.
2) It helps to give your day a jump start.
3) It helps to reduce stress and anxiety.
4) There is a smaller crowd at the gym.

Those that say working out in the evening is best say that –
1) It helps you to sleep better.
2) Helps to clear your mind and get rid of the days stress.
3) The weather is usually better.
4) You usually don’t have to fight evening traffic to get home.

If you haven’t caught on already, many of the opinions given don’t have much to do with scientific reasons.

Physiologically speaking, your bodies basic organ functions are slower while you are sleeping. So that means that your heart rate, breathing, and blood flow are at their least effective during the early morning hours. But this gives the added benefit of feeling more relaxed during a morning workout routine. The opposite may be true during the evening. But there are many factors that play in to this such as diet, level of activity during the day, and how hydrated you are.

According to a recent post from the American Heart Association “The best time of the day is when you will do it most consistently, because the benefits of physical activity are tightly linked to the amount you do on a consistent basis,” said Russell Pate, Ph.D., professor of exercise science in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.