When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

by Daniel H. Pink

Exercise in the late afternoon or evening to: Avoid injury: When our muscles are warm, they’re more elastic and less prone to injury. That’s why they call what we do at the beginning of our workout a “warm-up.” Our body temperature is low when we first wake up, rises steadily throughout the day, and peaks in the late afternoon and early evening. That means that in later-in-the-day workouts our muscles are warmer and injuries are less common.3 Perform your best: Working out in the afternoons not only means that you’re less likely to get injured, it also helps you sprint faster and lift more. Lung function is highest this time of the day, so your circulation system can distribute more oxygen and nutrients.4 This is also the time of day when strength peaks, reaction time quickens, hand-eye coordination sharpens, and heart rate and blood pressure drop. These factors make it a great time to put on your best athletic performance. In fact, a disproportionate number of Olympic records, especially in running and swimming, are set in the late afternoon and early evening.5 Enjoy the workout a bit more: People typically perceive that they’re exerting themselves a little less in the afternoon even if they’re doing exactly the same exercise routine as in the morning.6 This suggests that afternoons may make workouts a little less taxing on the mind and soul.