Let’s face it: finding enough time to hit the gym to get some workout done is more difficult when you’ve got a busy work week and a bunch of other priorities on your to-do list.
If you’re an office worker, chances are you sit in front of a computer all day and spend most of your time indoors inactively. The only time you would ever get to stretch is when you need to go to the bathroom or take your break.
This sedentary lifestyle has become the norm, as many jobs today do not require physically demanding tasks or labor. Since the 1950s, the number of office jobs in the United States has skyrocketed by 83%, and most Americans now spend their days sitting in a cubicle.
Yet, exercise is much needed because it is beneficial to your health. A study from the Annals of Internal Medicine found that sitting for long periods without exercising or performing physical activities is associated with a higher risk for obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.
When you lead a sedentary lifestyle, it is highly possible that you lose your muscle strength and endurance or your bones get weaker and lose some mineral content. At the same time, your metabolism is affected because your body won’t be able to break down sugars and fats for energy.
If you work at a company that has an office gym, that’s good news! The
advantages of having an office gym far outweigh the costs. When there is a gym at the office, it will be easier for employees to take responsibility for their physical health because the gym is accessible and convenient.
It can also be beneficial for an employee’s mental health since exercise has been found to reduce stress and anxiety. All of these suggest that the employer promotes a healthy workplace that’s conce
ed over the overall wellbeing of employees. When employees are in top shape, the company can yield positive results.
But if your office doesn’t have a gym, how do you squeeze in some special time to get started on exercise? Here are several tips to help you choose the optimal time to go to the gym.
Stay in tune with how your body feels. The American Council on Exercise suggests first to understand how your body clock or circadian rhythm works before you hit the gym. The circadian rhythm is governed by the 24-hour rotation of the Earth, and it can influence your body temperature, hormone levels, blood pressure, and heart rate.
The state of your body during several times of the day can contribute to how you feel while working out. If the workout routine feels unproductive, you could try moving it at a different time of the day to find out how your body responds. There is no ideal or perfect time to work out; there are only personal preferences.
Work around your schedule. The best time to hit the gym largely depends on your schedule. There’s no need to cave in to the pressure to exercise immediately! Most gyms and fitness centers are open early in the morning and stay open late at night to accommodate members with different work schedules.
Avoid going during peak gym hours. As much as you can, you must try to avoid exercising at an overcrowded gym. When there are too many people, you may have to wait before you could use specific equipment or machine.
The usual rush hours are after work because most people treat the gym as a stopover before going home. To find out which time is less busy, you can consult the staff members of the fitness center.
Check out if there are special classes you can try. Most gym memberships include special classes for each member. These offerings differ, but each class is usually held once or twice a day. Some classes can fall on certain days of the week. You can also work with a personal trainer to help you maximize your time at the gym, but most personal trainers are available on particular schedules.
So what’s the optimal time to go to the gym?
a.) Morning:
Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at the American Council on Exercise, suggests that morning may be the best time to exercise for those who are struggling with consistency. This is because the mindset to finish exercising at 6 AM can kick-start the day before any other tasks interfere.
No matter how good your intentions are, other things will squeeze out your goal of exercising for the day. Mornings are also a recommended time because our body temperatures are lower during this time, allowing you to warm up easier than you would later in the day.
It is also better than at night because working out too late in the evening can disrupt your sleep and circadian rhythm. A study showed that working out at 7 a.m. can lead to sounder and better sleep.
b.) Afte
oon: If you can’t fit in your workout session early in the morning, it’s okay. Studies reveal that the body can still adapt to consistent and regular gym dates, even if it’s in the afte
oon or at night. In fact, if you train your body to exercise at 4 p.m. every day, chances are it will get used to this schedule.
Scheduling a workout session in the afte
oon can be a different experience. For instance, our body temperatures increase as the day goes by. A cold body can cause stiffness in the muscles, which are more susceptible to sprains, while a body with a higher temperature means muscles are more flexible.
The afte
oon is when your reaction time is quickest, and your heart rate and blood pressure are lowest. All of these factors can improve your performance and reduce the risks of injury. Treat afte
oon sessions as unbreakable appointments.
At the end of the day, whichever time of day you choose to exercise will largely depend on how you manage your schedule to add physical fitness to your list of priorities. What’s important is that you create a realistic workout routine for yourself. You can even find a workout buddy, so you don’t have any excuses not to go to the gym alone.