Early bird or night owl: Should you sync your exercise with your chronotype?
A new study suggests that exercising at times that match whether someone is naturally a morning or evening person could reduce their risk of heart problems.
Researchers in the UK and Pakistan determined the chronotypes of 150 people aged between 40 to 60 through questionnaires and 48-hour core body temperature measurements.
Chronotype refers to the tendency to be naturally more active or wakeful at a particular period of the day, according to Dictionary.com.
All participants in the study – which was published in the journal Open Heart – had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, such as high blood pressure, obesity, or physical inactivity, and were randomly assigned to exercise at times that either aligned with their chronotype or did not. Workouts were scheduled either in the morning (8am–11am) or evening (6pm–9pm).
Out of the group, 134 participants completed all 60 exercise sessions.
Over 12 weeks, the study found that both the matched and mismatched groups showed improvements in heart risk factors, aerobic fitness, and sleep quality. However, it discovered that those who exercised in alignment with their chronotype experienced greater reductions in blood pressure.
They also demonstrated better improvements in measures such as heart rate, aerobic capacity, and sleep quality compared to those whose exercise timing did not match their natural preferences.
In light of these findings, we spoke to Sam Quinn, personal training lead at Nuffield Health, to find out whether he thinks we should all sync our exercise with our chronotype or not…
What are the main categories of chronotypes?
Chronotypes are often simplified into “morning larks” (early birds) and “night owls” (evening types).
“Morning people or early risers are people who find that their energy levels are optimal first thing in the morning and often find that they are more productive during the first part of the day,” says Quinn. “Whereas, a night owl, or someone who is more of a night person, would be someone whose energy levels are optimal later in the day or the evening. These are generally people who like to stay up late and maybe into the early hours in the morning.”
What are some benefits of trying to sync exercise with your chronotype?
“The main benefit is that it can help you stay consistent with your exercise,” says Quinn. “We’ve all got busy lives, and everyone’s got different preferences, but the best program is going to be the one that you’re going to be able to stick to.
“For example, if you set a workout program where you have to go to the gym at eight o’clock in the morning, and you’re a night person, you might fail before you’ve even started.
“However, if you select a time which is more suited to your preferred time of day and your body clock, where you feel more energised and it works better for your schedule, you’re going to be much more consistent and much more likely to achieve your goals – whether that’s improving your mental health, an aesthetic goal or a performance-related goal.”
Are there any signs that might indicate someone is working out at the ‘wrong’ time of day?
“I think the main physical signs to look out for are to do with energy levels and performance,” says Quinn. “For example, someone’s output might be affected. They might be struggling to train that day, are not turning up consistently and are struggling to hit their designated reps or loads, therefore might not be able to accomplish their physical goals in the gym.
“Also, sometimes people look visibly deflated. Their energy levels are depleted, they’re looking lethargic and might not be engaging with conversation. If someone is feeling lethargic and tired, they’re not going to get the most out of their session, and they’re not going to enjoy it.”
What other factors might affect your energy levels during workouts?
The quantity and quality of your sleep can have a big impact on your energy levels during a workout.
“If you’re training regularly but you’re not sleeping and recovering adequately, you’re not going to be energised and are not going to be able to perform at your best during your workouts,” highlights Quinn.
Stress can also sabotage your workouts.
“I would say that lifestyle-related stress is one of the biggest factors that impacts people’s energy levels, focus, motivation and frequency of workouts,” says Quinn. “When people come in to train, they might vent about their work-related stress and might only get through 50% of the work that was planned for that session. So, stress can be a really big obstacle.”
Fuelling yourself adequately is also key.
“Make sure that you’re recovering appropriately from your workouts with the correct nutrition and are fuelling yourself appropriately, depending on what your goal is,” says Quinn.
“Try to educate yourself on these variables that are going to impact your goals – such as your sleep, nutrition, hydration and recovery – so you can utilise all of this to help you to achieve your long-term goals.”
How can someone figure out what their chronotype is and find a routine that works for them?
“Many people think they are a morning person or have read that the best time of day to train is the morning, but when they train in the morning they feel tired and lethargic,” says Quinn. “Some people also don’t sleep as well because they’re anticipating trying to get into the gym in the morning.
“I find that many people want to be a morning person, but actually train much better in the afternoon or the evening, when they’ve had a couple of extra hours of sleep.”
Sometimes finding a routine that works for you takes a bit of time.
“Finding the right time to train and exercise can take a bit of trial and error and can sometimes take quite a long time to figure out,” says Quinn. “Be flexible and try a few different times to see what’s optimal for you, what works with your lifestyle and what is going to enable you to be consistent over time.”
When figuring this out, listening to how your body and mind feels can help guide you.
“I regularly have to communicate with my clients and ask them, How are you feeling? Is this the most suitable time for you?” says Quinn.
Most importantly, he reminds people to choose a type of activity that they actually enjoy and will stick to.
“Find out what type of exercise you actually enjoy and that you are going to be consistent with,” recommends Quinn. “It doesn’t have to be strength training – it could be a dance class or yoga or endurance running.”
