Circadian rhythms: what time of day is best to exercise

Characteristics of the “feathered”

There are people who find it easier and more pleasant to work in the morning. They are called larks. Daytime activists are classified as pigeons. And those who prefer to work after sunset are owls. The peak of physical and intellectual activity for all types comes in due time.

At 6-7 am the larks can no longer sleep, until lunch they are the shock workers of labor, and at about 10 pm they go to the kingdom of Morpheus. Obviously, they should look for a job with an appropriate schedule. Pigeons sleep longer than larks, work productively all day, and at 11 pm they have their first dream. Almost any vacancy is open to them. Owls prefer to sleep until 11; before 11 it is difficult to wake them up even with a siren. Before lunch they are slow and lethargic, but towards evening they are a continuous fountain of energy, and their ability to work is at its zenith. Owls go to bed long after midnight. Needless to say, working with early rises is real hard labor for such people.

Biological or circadian rhythms

Each person’s body is individual, but changes constantly occur in it throughout the day. Vital signs in the morning and evening may differ significantly. Scientific research has proven that they are natural and cyclical. Biological rhythms repeat in the morning and evening, determining when and at what time it is best for a person to exercise at home or in the gym. Such rhythms were called circadian and began to be used by professional athletes when drawing up training programs when it is necessary to obtain maximum results.

From a sports perspective, the most interesting studies are in relation to body temperature. Contrary to the erroneous belief that body temperature is a constant value of 36.6 C0, scientists have proven the opposite. Within one day the fluctuation reaches 0.5 C0, the maximum value is observed in the evening.

With a slight increase in body temperature, calorie burning occurs better, and the likelihood of joint and muscle injuries is significantly reduced. Because of this, evening training hours are considered a more preferable time for training at home or in the gym when it is necessary to gain strength and muscle mass.

Another significant factor in determining when is the best time to exercise, taking into account a person’s biological rhythms, is the level of cortisol production in the blood in the morning and evening. In the human body, the hormone is produced by the adrenal glands and is responsible for mobilizing strength during stress and increased workload. The highest indicator of the element is observed in the morning, which allows a person to wake up. In the evening this figure decreases significantly. Two factors are important for sports training:

low cortisol levels;
elevated body temperature.

In the evening, this combination is optimal for gaining muscle mass, so it is recommended to prescribe training around 19:00 in accordance with biological rhythms.

Other indicators for choosing training times

There are many other indicators related to rhythms that directly affect the effectiveness of training. These include the level of blood pressure and heart rate; when choosing a time with the optimal indicator of these parameters, the training will be most effective. When is it better for a person to exercise in the morning or in the evening depends on what type the person belongs to. Conventionally, the biological rhythms of people are usually divided into “morning” and “evening”, the so-called “owls” and “larks”.

Taking into account this accessory, it is recommended to determine the optimal time for classes. For people with long days and late rises, it is not advisable to set a time for training at home in the morning, since in the morning their biological rhythms do not allow the body to prepare for physical activity. The same goes for people who start their day early. Their biological cycles run differently and exercise in the morning will be more effective, but in the evening the body will not be able to maintain the pace of the workout.

Recommendations for early risers

It is best to find a job with a traditional schedule: getting up early and returning home late. This could be the position of a driver, conductor, worker, civil servant, teacher, cook, secretary, baker, janitor, or any office employee. Plan to resolve important matters in the first half of the day. As a rule, the peak of your activity has two points: from 8:00-9:00 and until 12:00-13:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00. Plan your work so that all work tasks occur during these hours. Don't stay late after work, it won't help you. Better come early in the morning.

When should you choose to exercise in the morning?

The beginning of the day is considered the best time to exercise, when it is better for a person to exercise in order to achieve the goal of maximum fat burning and weight loss. According to studies of biological rhythms and training, morning running can burn 20% more calories than similar workouts in the daytime. To lose weight, exercise time at home or in the gym should be 45 minutes 3 times a week. An important factor for success is also limiting food and organizing a balanced diet.

In the early hours, you should give preference to the following workouts:

not fast running;
walking in sports equipment;
exercise bike;
running on a treadmill.

The increased content of hormones in the blood in the morning leads to an acceleration of metabolism and the effectiveness of such cardio training will be higher than during exercise in the afternoon or evening. In this regard, losing weight when exercising in the morning is much easier.

The effectiveness of burning fat in the morning, compared to the evening, has been scientifically proven. During the research, Belgian scientists conducted tests on two groups. The first one trained before breakfast, and the second after eating. The weight loss rates of athletes from the first group turned out to be significantly higher, while representatives of the second group not only did not show good results in weight loss, but they also showed a tendency towards diabetes.

According to statistics, morning workouts at home or in the gym are much less likely to be abandoned after starting regular exercise, and morning workouts become a habit. Another benefit of such training is that it gives you more freedom throughout the day. At the same time, a person does not need to take time off from work or everyday life for a daytime workout, and the evening hours can be spent on important matters, a favorite hobby, or relaxing with friends.

Recommendations for owls

If you are planning to look for a job, then choose positions with a free schedule or an afternoon schedule - this is the best option. For example, the work of a nightclub administrator, DJ, waiter, courier, security guard, cash collector, call center manager, IT specialist. Unlike larks, you have not two, but three peaks of activity: from 13:00 to 14:00, from 18:00 to 20:00 and from 23:00 to 01:00. In the evening you can do anything, so plan important events and activities for twilight hours. Conduct business meetings during lunch, and during the “inactive” time, deal with minor issues.

How does your body type affect the timing of your workouts?

Conventionally, it is customary to distinguish three types of physique, depending on the characteristics of the anatomy of the body. Endomorphs are characterized by a slow metabolism and rapid weight gain, so they are recommended to exercise for up to 12 hours. Exercising at this time allows you to make maximum use of the energy of fat deposits, consume food calories and burn them effectively.

For ectomorphs, who are prone to excessive thinness and difficulty gaining weight, there is exactly the opposite problem. Such people are characterized by a fast metabolism, so the morning hours for training are not suitable for them.

It is better to conduct classes in the evening, while the body should contain the maximum amount of calories from the food taken in order to use them in the body as fuel.

What is the best time to conceive?

The most favorable day for conception is the one on which ovulation occurs. This is the ideal time to conceive. When talking about what time is favorable for conceiving a child, we always mean the time of ovulation.

It can be determined using several subjective signs. In the middle of the cycle, a woman may experience short-term pain in the lower abdomen. Also at this time, libido increases, which is precisely a natural manifestation of a woman’s readiness for fertilization. During menstruation, more estrogen is released, which leads to this behavior.

Why is ovulation the most favorable time for conception? Many people know that ovulation is the best time to conceive a child, but not everyone understands why this happens, then this is the optimal time for conception. During ovulation, an egg is released that can be fertilized. The rest of the time, even if sperm enter the uterus, conception does not occur. The days before ovulation are also a good time to conceive a child because sperm can live in a woman’s body for up to 5 days. These are not the most favorable living conditions for sperm and many of them die in the first hours, and after several days their number becomes very small, but sexual intercourse carried out even 2-3 days in advance can also be effective. The time of conception of the fetus will still be the same day of ovulation, since it is at this time that the egg will be fertilized, but sexual intercourse can be carried out several days before.

Expert opinion Regardless of the length of the cycle, the best time to conceive a child after menstruation is in the middle. If the total cycle is 28 days, then the favorable day of conception will be the 14th day, if 32 - then the 16th day, 40 - the 20th day, and so on. Naturally, small errors may occur and this is quite normal.

Abdullina Alina Arturovna Reproductologist, obstetrician-gynecologist Work experience 6 years

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After all, even a stable cycle sometimes goes astray, therefore, an earlier period is a favorable day for sexual intercourse. If the sperm is not very viable, or the internal environment of the vagina and uterus turns out to be too aggressive, then you need to guess the immediate day of ovulation.

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ANABOLISM/CATABOLISM PROPORTION

For bodybuilders, just like for any other athletes, it is important that metabolic rate, body temperature, TESTOSTERONE and CORTISOL concentrations change throughout the day. Did you notice that I highlighted our sweet couple (testosterone and cortisol)?

This is no coincidence, because the first is the most important anabolic hormone, and the second is the most important catabolic hormone. Let's start with TESTOSTERONE and see how its concentration changes throughout the day:

You see, what any grown man already knows. And if he doesn’t know, then I’m sure he feels it in the morning. At night and in the morning the concentration of testosterone is maximum. This is why we often wake up with an erection, even in situations where we dreamed of a barbell and not a woman. But during the day, and especially in the evening, the concentration of testosterone decreases. Moreover, note that age affects only the height of the peaks, but not their configuration. Those. Both the boy and the grandfather maintain a similar cyclical pattern of peaks and valleys of testosterone throughout the day.

Now look what happens to CORTISOL. This hormone does the opposite: at night its concentration is reduced. In the morning it rapidly soars to the very peak, and then gradually decreases throughout the day.

What is a positive nitrogen balance? This is when protein destruction is less than its construction. A positive nitrogen balance indicates that anabolism exceeds catabolism and for a bodybuilder this is very good because it is a marker of muscle growth. In fact, catabolism (cotrizol) and anabolism (testosterone) are in constant proportion to each other. But if we superimpose the circadian rhythms of testosterone © to the circadian rhythms of cortisol (K) during the day, we will see more favorable and less favorable periods for growth during the day.

T/C = MORE in the afternoon and evening

During this time, exercise in the gym will stimulate more testosterone releases and less cortisol releases. That is, after lunch, the hormonal balance is more optimal for anabolism. However, I would like to remind you that there is little scientific evidence yet on how natural hormone levels affect muscle growth. We do not have definitively proven data that the higher the natural concentration of testosterone, the greater the muscle growth.

It is quite possible that the determining factor is not the total concentration of testosterone, but the amount of it that enters active tissues under the influence of training. These questions continue to be researched. However, a number of indirect experiments suggest that muscle hypertrophy is better in the afternoon than in the morning.

When is the best time to go to Asia?

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Asia is the largest part of the world both in terms of territory and population. Almost all types of climate are represented here - from arctic in the far north to equatorial in the southeast. In East, South and Southeast Asia the climate is monsoonal, in Western Siberia it is continental, in Eastern Siberia and Saryarka it is sharply continental, and on the plains of Central, Central and Western Asia it is semi-desert and desert. The southwest of this part of the world has a tropical desert climate, the hottest in all of Asia, and the Indian town of Cherrapunji in the Himalayas is the wettest place on the planet.

Relax on the heavenly beaches of Thailand, lose your mind at the skyscrapers of Hong Kong, find a new self in fabulous Bali, see the unearthly landscapes of Nepal or visit another planet in Japan - there are countless reasons to go to Asia. There's a lot to consider when choosing the best time to travel to Asia, but we'll help you figure it out quickly and create the adventure of the century.

The peak tourist season in Thailand runs from November to mid-February. It coincides with ideal sunny, rain-free weather in most Thai resorts. Only on Koh Samui the high season lasts from spring to early autumn.

If you go to Thailand in mid-April, having fun with the locals while celebrating Thai New Year is an unforgettable experience.

Tropical cyclones rage from May to mid-October. The rainiest months in Thailand are August and September.

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The best time to travel to Vietnam is spring (February to April) and autumn (August to October). During these months there is less rain and no unbearable heat.

In the north of Vietnam (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay) the weather is changeable. The cool season lasts from November to April, the hot season from May to October. In February and March there is often drizzling rain.

In Nha Trang and central Vietnam, from February to August there is a dry season with clear weather and air temperatures of +30–35 °C. In mid-December there are heavy rains, and in October-November typhoons often rage.

Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne and Phu Quoc Island are warm all year round. From November to January the temperature is slightly lower, from February to May it is very hot. The rainy season lasts from May to October.

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In general, Indonesia has two seasons: the dry season from April to October and the rainy season from November to March.

Indonesia is most visited by tourists in July and August, but if the company of other holidaymakers just lifts your spirits, this is a good time to travel: in the second half of summer there are many festivals and parties on Bali and other Indonesian islands.

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The best time to travel to Beijing, Harbin, northern China, Chengdu and the center of the country is April-May and September-October.

It is better to go to Tibet from June to August, and to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Hainan Island - from October to December.

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The worst time to travel to India is the monsoon season from July to October. The best time to travel to New Delhi, Agra and Kolkata is from late October to January.

Goa, Mumbai, Rajasthan, western and central India have good weather from November to March.

The best time to travel to Ladakh and the Himalayas is from February to May, and to Kerala from September to March.

The best time to travel to Chennai and the Bay of Bengal coast is January-March.

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If you can’t stand extreme heat, it’s better to go to the UAE any time, except from May to September, when during the day the thermometer often shows above +40 ºC.

The best time to travel to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates is March-April and November-December.

The UAE is a Muslim country, so many attractions, shops and restaurants may be closed during Ramadan.

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The climate in different parts of Israel differs significantly: there are subtropical zones, arid zones and even desert zones.

The high season in Israel is the period from late February to May and all autumn. There are especially many people from the second half of September to the end of October - when Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) are celebrated.

The low season in Israel is winter, when it rains, and summer, when the thermometer exceeds +40 °C.

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South Korea is good and interesting all year round: there is something to do in any weather.

Winter here is snowy and quite cold - down to –10 °C. Only on Jeju Island is it humid and the air temperature does not drop below 0 °C even in winter. The ski season at Korean resorts opens at the end of November and lasts until the beginning of April.

Summer in Korea is hot and humid. The monsoon season, Chanma, lasts from the end of June to the end of July. The best time to go to the beaches of the Korean coast is from late May to September.

Spring and autumn in South Korea are good for excursions, shopping and walks: sakura begins to bloom in March, and in October it’s great to admire the red maples.

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From April to August there is the least rain in Singapore, but you can go to the Lion City all year round: it is always summer here.

Singapore is constantly hosting vibrant festivals - don't miss the Independence Day parades and fireworks on August 9th. Singaporean shops and restaurants close only on the first couple of days of the Chinese New Year; all other national holidays, on the contrary, are held with open doors and public festivities.

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The Philippine Islands have three seasons: - tag-init, or tag-arav - from March to May: at this time the islands are hot and dry; - tag-ulan - from June to November: this is the rainy season; - tag-lamig - from December to February: during these months the Philippines is dry and cool.

The weather on different islands of the archipelago varies slightly and depends only on the relationship to sea level: the higher you go in the mountains, the cooler it is.

The high season in the Philippines lasts from November to May, especially around Christmas and New Year. At this time, the weather is great, but there are crowds of tourists at the resorts, and prices for hotels, air tickets and services are rising.

The cheapest time to fly to the Philippines is from June to October. True, the islands are often hit by downpours and typhoons at this time, so such a vacation certainly cannot be called cloudless. But hotel prices fall by 30–50%.

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The cherry blossom season in Japan lasts about a week from late March to early April. The spectacle is magnificent, but during hanami prices for tickets and hotels skyrocket.

Summers in Japan are incredibly hot, so the best time to travel to Tokyo, Kyoto and other Japanese cities is in early autumn or during the momiji red maple season.

But “Golden Week” (usually it falls in the last week of April or early May) is best avoided: at this time, the Japanese themselves travel around the country to celebrate national holidays with friends and family - hotels and restaurants are packed to capacity.

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The Maldives is located near the equator, so the air temperature is approximately the same all year round. Typically, there are two seasons in the Maldives: - the dry winter monsoon of Iruwai - from November to April ; - humid summer monsoon Hulhangu - from May to October .

The least rain falls from January to April—this is the high season for holidays in the Maldives. Maldivian beaches are more crowded in winter than in summer. In December, people fly to North and South Male and other atolls to celebrate the New Year. As a result, prices for hotels and air tickets increase during these months.

Summer in the Maldives can be cloudy and rainy. But the showers come mainly in the afternoon, and the sun comes out in the morning, so you can still have a good rest. The only thing is that the water in the ocean is more cloudy in summer than in winter: this will be a problem for diving. Accommodation prices in the Maldives in the summer months are lower than in the high season, so this time is suitable for an economical holiday.

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Evening workouts

Who is suitable for evening workouts? They are ideal for those who feel sluggish and sleep-deprived in the morning. They are also suitable for swimming and team sports.

pros

Body temperature in the evening is ideal for training.
In the evening, during training, you can get rid of the stress accumulated during the day.
Your energy is at its peak between 6 and 9 pm. Place the main part of your workout during this period; you can leave the cool-down and stretching for a later time.

Minuses

Evening workouts can cause sleep disturbances, in which case you will have to change your workout schedule.
Until the evening, you can come up with a number of excuses for yourself not to go to training. The habit of studying in the evening takes longer to form than at other times of the day.
Fat burning will be ineffective due to high blood sugar.

The best time of day to conceive a child

If you understand the specific medical indications in this regard, then the time of day is not a very influential factor. The fact is that ovulation can occur both at night and in the morning, afternoon or evening. The best thing is to try to get pregnant exactly during the period when it occurs. The couple has from 12 hours to two days for this, depending on how long the egg lives in the body of a particular woman.

But if we consider the best time for conception from a practical point of view, then here, undoubtedly, there will be evening and night hours. This is due to the fact that after sex a woman is not recommended to get up and walk anywhere. It’s much easier to stick to these rules before going to bed. If you just fall asleep after the end of sexual intercourse, the horizontal position will remain for several hours. This is quite enough for sperm to penetrate into the uterus. During this period, extreme conditions will not be created, a vertical position that will facilitate the spilling of most of the semen from the vagina.

Expert opinion In addition, this is the most favorable time for conceiving a child because during sleep the temperature becomes higher, and this contributes to good sperm activity inside the body.

Abdullina Alina Arturovna Reproductologist, obstetrician-gynecologist Work experience 6 years

Ask a clarifying question

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