The benefits of running in the evening
The main purpose of the workout is to improve health, increase endurance, and enhance fat burning - it is observed both in the morning and in the evening. Since all people are different in terms of psychological status, biological factors and night owls), everyone decides independently the question of the best time for sports. Any time of day has its advantages and disadvantages for running .
Benefits of evening classes:
- The most free organization of training. It is difficult for night owls to get up 1.5-2 hours earlier in the morning. Many simply do not want to deprive themselves of part of the night's rest. In addition, in the evening there is no need to keep track of time for fear of being late for work.
- According to scientists, at 18-20 hours the body is at the peak of vitality. The muscles are well warmed up, the joints are developed, the blood supply is in full force.
- It has been noticed that in the evening the human excretory system works more intensively, i.e. metabolism improves, toxins are eliminated from the body faster.
- After exercise, sleep improves. He becomes stronger and calmer. Many people who practice running in the evenings notice that less sleep is enough to fully recover.
- You can lose extra calories acquired during the day.
- The most important thing is that evening runs relieve stress, negative emotions, etc.
This training system has only 2 drawbacks:
- It's hard to force yourself to exercise after a long day at work. However, from the very first classes the runner will feel their necessity and usefulness.
- In the evening, the atmosphere of a large city worsens and is filled with harmful substances. To reduce their negative impact, it is better to choose places away from roads and enterprises: forest, park, square.
Conclusion: running in the evenings is useful, but to achieve the desired result, follow the necessary rules.
A little about the harm
We’ve figured out the benefits of running in the evenings. But not everything is so good - it also has negative aspects:
- even minor physical activity in the evening if you have problems with the spine. The fact is that in the evening the compression of the vertebrae is maximum. “Sagging” them can cause discomfort and sometimes pain.
- The effect of evening running on people suffering from insomnia can be not only positive. The fact is that physical activity provokes a powerful release of hormones into the blood, which provokes excitement of the body and its attempts to find a way out of the energy received. Therefore, during the first 1.5 hours after running, you are unlikely to be able to fall asleep. But in a couple of hours you will sleep like a log.
- Running in the evening is not recommended for early risers, for whom the evening itself is a biological night. It’s better for them to run in the morning and just get ready to rest in the evening.
- An important point regarding running in the evenings for weight loss is the air. In the evening, the concentration of harmful components in the air is much higher than in the morning , so the effect on the lungs may not be the best. But this problem can be easily solved by choosing a wooded or park area with clean air for evening jogging.
Regardless of the running time you choose, you need to make sure there are no contraindications. These include serious problems with the heart, blood vessels, joints, blood pressure and a number of other conditions. In any case, it is recommended to consult a specialist.
Why do you need evening jogging?
The benefits of physical exercise are undeniable - health improves, excess weight disappears, metabolism normalizes. Only the approach to training is individual and takes into account age, the presence of diseases, excess weight, etc.
Jogging is most needed by people leading a sedentary lifestyle - office workers who spend most of their time at the computer, and other employees.
Running in the evenings compensates for the lack of movement and relieves accumulated stress.
How to properly run in the evening
Sports activities should not be started after dinner. The goal of the race determines the required time after eating. If training is done to maintain health, it is enough for 1.5-2 hours to pass after eating. For weight loss, it is better to increase this time to 3 hours. It’s good to drink 300 g of water 20 minutes before training.
You need to run at a slow pace - jog. What is important is not speed, but distance and regularity of exercise. Those who decide to quit sports quickly return to their previous parameters. This will tell you the answer to the question: is running in the evening beneficial or harmful?
The torso is kept straight or slightly tilted forward, the shoulders are turned, the arms are slightly bent at the elbows and move together with the legs when moving. The rest of the running technique is of little importance for an amateur athlete.
It is considered optimal when you inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. But while running this is not always possible. Professional trainers allow breathing entirely through the mouth or nose, whichever is more comfortable for the runner.
It's good to have a small bottle of water with you so you can take 1-2 sips periodically. You should never stop for this. You need to go to a fast pace, and then gradually reduce the speed.
To avoid getting bored during the run, you can take a player with headphones and listen to your favorite tunes. Fitness trackers provide this function. In addition, with their help you can more accurately determine training parameters: heart rate, number of kilocalories burned, running speed and much more.
When is the best time to go for a run: morning, afternoon or evening?
Late morning or evening seem more appropriate. What arguments could there be in their favor and what would be opposed to them in the early morning or afternoon?
But let's start in chronological order.
Early morning
Minuses. This is the strangest time, in my opinion, to go for a run. The body has not yet woken up, but it is already being taken outside at 5-6 in the morning for serious physical effort. After sleep, you need at least one and a half to two hours to be ready for some kind of stress. And then the first few kilometers will be in slow motion. The usual rhythm will ideally come at the 3rd km.
Pros. Of course, this is a boost of energy for the day ahead, no matter how trite it may sound. In addition, there is one less task per day. If you're running in the city, this is a great time when there are few cars on the roadways and almost no people on the sidewalks.
Late morning
Minuses. On a weekday, if you work a five-day shift, such time will no longer be available. There are only weekends left. An hour of physical activity can break up the day, and the second half will be crumpled. But it depends on the person. By this time, the traffic of cars and pedestrians had already increased on the streets.
Pros. You can go for a run 2-3 hours after you wake up. The body has already realized that activity has begun. Breakfast has been digested, morning coffee has been drunk (all this is missing in an early run, before which you can drink a maximum of a mug of tea, or better yet just water). All the prerequisites for optimal long-distance running with good times. In summer, you can make it before the heat of the day. In general, this is a great start to the weekend.
Day
Minuses. If we return again to the summer option, then this is the hottest time. The load on the body increases, and strength can quickly leave you. The speed will begin to drop after 3-4 km. And again, the whole day is divided into two parts, and the second half will be more difficult than the first.
For an urban version of jogging on a weekday, everything will be too bad - a huge number of cars (you can’t even cross a pedestrian crossing without stopping), and a large number of pedestrians who absolutely don’t care that a runner is approaching them and should give him some space sidewalk.
Pros. A great option when working from home. The brain requires a break, and here jogging is ideal for mental unloading. In the heat, you can test your abilities, challenge yourself, and, having overcome it, drink a bottle of water in a great mood, get into the shower, and then return to your business.
Evening
Minuses. This is more a question of psychology. Convincing yourself to go for a run in the evening is much more difficult than in the morning or afternoon. You’ve already finished a lot of your chores, there’s going to be some football on TV soon, and you still have running on your schedule. Not everyone manages to overcome themselves and go outside. It will be unpleasant for some to run at night, and if snowfall is added to this in winter, it will be completely impossible. Jogging at 9-10 pm will subsequently lead to you falling asleep at least at 1 am. For some it's too late.
Pros. In summer, this is the coolest time of the day. As for street traffic, it is also noticeably less. By later evening the air becomes cleaner and it is more pleasant to run. It's a great way to end the day. Further sleep will calm the body; there is no need to worry that your legs will feel uncomfortable for some time after exercise. Plus, in the evening you are least dependent on your schedule for the whole day - everything has already been done, all that remains is to finish efficiently.
What time do you choose to run?
What kind of warm-up is suitable before an evening jog?
Since in the evenings the body is in most cases prepared for the race, minimal warm-up is required before training. Walk, increasing your pace, stretch your stiff muscles. Arm swings, forward lunges, and squats are the main warm-up exercises.
In order not to miss any group of muscles or joints, you can start from the neck, gradually moving to the legs. In the evenings, only 2-3 exercises for each group will be enough.
Benefits of running in the evening
Finding time to run continuously in the morning is quite difficult. It is difficult for a working person to go jogging in the morning, getting up 1-1.5 hours earlier. Only a few are able to perform such feats every day. In addition, the evening is ideal for getting rid of any negative emotions and stress accumulated during the day.
Running in the morning can cause increased fatigue, which will affect your performance. The benefits of evening running are demonstrated by the ability to eliminate excess calories consumed during the day. And even if such physical activity causes muscle fatigue, it happens overnight, and the regeneration process during sleep occurs simultaneously with the expenditure of energy.
7 reasons to run at night
Many runners prefer to run their miles at dawn, but if that doesn't suit you, there's no harm in running at night. There are many benefits to running at night, and it doesn't matter whether you run in the evening because you have a busy day or because you like to stay up late.
We have prepared for you a list of seven reasons why you should postpone your race for the evening.
It will be easier for you to run
In the evening our body is in better shape. You may be tired, but your body is more ready than ever to run.
Scientists from the North Texas Institute have shown that the body is better prepared for exercise, especially in the evening. A person's strength and endurance increase at the end of the day.
The most important! Your body is better able to use the oxygen that goes to your muscles, which means you can run longer distances.
Researchers from the Essex Institute noticed that people who practice cardio in the evening or at night feel like they're doing their best, and they can see the results of their work faster. Scientists believe that in the dark it is more difficult for us to estimate our own speed, which forces us to intensify our training.
"When you run at night, you're more focused and attuned to your body's pace," says John Stanton, founder of TheRunningRoom. “When it comes time for marathons in the spring, runners who trained in the dark run faster than others.”
Your sleep will be better quality
If you don't have to think about driving a certain number of miles in the morning, you'll sleep better and longer. Just don’t stay up late at night after your evening run, but do some stretching and go to bed. Sleep is a good time for muscle recovery, and when you get enough sleep, you'll be able to run faster and longer.
A study from the University of South Carolina found that 97 percent of people who exercised in the evening saw better quality sleep than on days when they exercised during the day.
A study conducted by the California Institute of California found that people who exercise at night can fall asleep deeply within 30 minutes after exercise.
"Increasing body temperature improves sleep, which means exercise may have an effect faster than a relaxing bath," says UCLA researcher Sean Youngstedt.
Running usually calms a person down. Lowers blood pressure and relaxes muscles.
You will be more relaxed
When you are under stress, all your systems - cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, muscular - work at double capacity. Cardio exercises are a good way to relax and restore the body.
When you run, you not only use your cardiovascular system, but also your respiratory and muscular systems. They learn to work in sync, which makes you more resilient to stress.
Don't forget about the endorphins produced by the body during exercise, which are responsible for our good mood.
Helpful advice! So, no matter what's bothering you - traffic jams, an angry boss or a full to-do list - the perfect run can be a great way to unwind after a hard and mentally stressful day at work.
Your morning will be more relaxed
I must admit that in the mornings it’s more pleasant to spend more time in bed and not think about how to lace up your sneakers in any weather and run around the awakening city. If you choose to run at night, your morning will be the least busy and you will have plenty of time to prepare a delicious breakfast, read advertisements, or think about the work day ahead.
Your run will be like flying
You may feel like you're running faster than at night, and that's true. At night, you rely less on your senses, which makes you more aware of the ground under your feet. At the London Institute, find a fascinating relationship between the timing of runners and their race times (a group of marathon runners ran a 10K much faster than their number for the day).
When you run in the dark, it makes it harder for you to move, which can be beneficial. You find it difficult to absorb speed, and your subconscious speeds up. Just remember to wear reflective clothing and be aware of your surroundings.
Your social circle can expand
During an evening jog with friends, you can talk about the day's events, relax and discuss pressing problems. Plus, night running is becoming popular in Moscow, and it's always a good way to make new friends.
Your schedule will be busier
Living in the city comes with a lot of stress. Runners who want to think about work, family and their responsibilities, which does not leave enough time for running and enjoying the sport. People are more likely to rest at night and not think about daily responsibilities, which will not only improve their mood, but also help them get rid of external thoughts.
Night may be the only time to run. If you have small children or a job where you have to be at seven in the morning, then running at night will be your solution, freeing you from headaches in the morning and thoughts of how to cope with several things at once.
You'll make more informed decisions
After a run, it is difficult to eat pizza or other carbohydrate-rich foods. On the contrary, the body looks for something easier to repair, the food that protein provides. Jogging at the end of the day will help you make more informed choices, and eat small portions.
So the next time you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock, think about it and try to plan your own nightly run. Who knows: maybe you will realize that this is the kind of daily routine that suits you.
How long and once a week is best to run?
It is better to change the intensity of the load gradually. You need to start running 10-15 minutes a day, moving at a slow pace. As you get used to it, increase the time, bringing it to 40 minutes in the first month of training. The possibility of increasing your jogging time is indicated by your general condition, pulse rate, absence of unpleasant sensations, or pain in the side.
Fat burning begins 20 minutes after the start of classes. However, even for this purpose, you should not rush to increase the speed or distance of the race.
To improve your health, it is enough to include training 2-3 evenings a week. To lose weight, it is good to run 4-6 times during the same period.
After a month, it is recommended to add 1-2 minutes to each lesson. The maximum duration of a run is 1 hour. You cannot run for more than the specified time, as this leads to undesirable effects.
Conclusion
Everything that is written above proves the clear benefits of jogging for the organisms of the fair half of humanity. But this does not mean that you should become a fan of this activity. And “wrap” 20 laps at the stadium every day, in the evening or in the morning.
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Tell us in the comments, do you run? What activity is the most useful and favorite for you? Share your experience. And also this article - with friends, on social networks. See you again!
How to control your health
The main indicator of proper exercise is a normal heart rate. It is determined by grasping your wrist and counting the beats or using a heart rate monitor (smart watch, fitness tracker). At rest, the heart rate is 60-85 beats/min. During a run, this value increases. It is different for everyone, because it depends on age, weight and general condition. However, you should not bring your heart rate to values above 115-120 beats/min.
Pain in the side that appears while running is not a symptom of the disease, since it occurs as a result of changes that occur. You can simply reduce the intensity or switch to brisk walking for a while.
You should not run if you have a cold, fever, high blood pressure or an accelerated heart rate, or for people suffering from chronic diseases. Before training, it is better to check your pulse.
With the above information, you can independently answer the question: is running in the evening beneficial or harmful?
