I have never been a morning person – even when I had to wake up at 5 to get to work at 7. I dreaded it, I
looked forward to the day where I could spend my mornings either sleeping, or taking it easy and having
a slow morning routine. This dream finally came true when I started my PhD, and my schedule shifted
from a 7 to 5:30, to a regular 9-5. At last, I was living the fantasy of sleeping more, having a nice
breakfast at home, do my skincare in the morning, and walking to campus with an iced coffee in hand.
This, of course, was only possible because I had nothing else to do in the morning. And when I started
going to the gym, the obvious option was to do it in the evening, after 5 pm, because there was no way I
was going to do it in the morning.
However, months into it, my friends (who go to the gym at 7 am) convinced me to shift to the morning
scheme, and I have realised now that, although I had a very solid conviction of not being able to wake up
early, there are some benefits to this that cannot be ignored.
Morning gym:
Pros:
Feeling energised
What I hate the most about mornings is that I always feel like I need more sleep. It doesn’t matter if I’m
waking up at 5 or 8, I still feel like I don’t have energy to start my day – which is why I liked to start it slow
in the first place! But, as you probably know, exercising releases hormones which make you feel
energised, and although the first minutes will be difficult, as you progress in your gym session you will
start to feel more active. I realised this when I was showing up to the office full of energy after the gym, in
contrast with regular days where I was just not feeling it, despite having slept more. Much to think about
Free time in the evening
The main concern I had whenever I had to go to the gym in the evening was: what if someone wants to
go for a pint after work?? What if it’s somebody’s birthday dinner and I forgot? Or what if I’m simply too
tired to go? Unfortunately, evening plans can be unpredictable, but going to the gym in the morning frees
so much space in the evening that I don’t even know what to do with it. It feels amazing, to be honest – to
just go home after work, and to have nothing to do after – just relaxing, scrolling, or simply going to bed
earlier, which is the next big pro of this list.
Improving your sleep schedule
I only came to realise this when I started going early: are poor sleeping habits just a vicious cycle? I
would go to the gym in the evening, then get home by 8 or later, then have dinner, shower, prepare my
things for the next day, and suddenly it was 11 or 12 and I wasn’t even ready to go to bed. My sleep
schedule was completely shifted, so it was no surprise that I could not wake up early. When I started
going in the morning, I found that no matter how hard I tried, I was already tired by 7 pm, and ready to go
to bed by 9 or 10. Do I feel like a grandma? Yes. Am I a happy grandma? Also yes.
Helps build up a morning routine
Although this point may seem contradictory with what I’ve said before about my slow-morning routine, it is
true that morning routines can look different for everyone – whether you’re having slow breakfast, going
to the gym, or waking up at 3 am to have a sparkling water ice bath and rub banana peels on your face.
In my case, going to the gym turned into the main activity to wake me up, which then leads to a nice hot
shower, a walk through campus, and having breakfast at my desk, ready to start working at 9:30. I find
this routine to be lovely and I respect it just as much as I did with my previous, sleepier routine.
Cons:
Tired!!
As I’ve mentioned, your sleep schedule will fix itself, only because by 3 pm, you will be so exhausted that
you can’t wait to go to bed. I love the energy peak after the gym, but the fall is so hard that, during the first
week, I was struggling to keep my eyes open in front of the computer. So, if you have a long day ahead of
you, maybe consider evening gym instead? It depends on how strong your eyelids are – they will need to
stay open against your will.
Gym shower
Self-explanatory. I love hot showers, but the gym shower experience is not optimal. It is what it is,
unfortunately.
Evening:
Pros:
You end up feeling exhausted and ready for bed – and then it’s bedtime
I guess my favourite part about a gym session is when it ends – regardless of if it’s morning or evening.
But evening gym sessions have a wholesome feeling about them, because they end, and then you get
to go home. What a blessing to just shower and then jump into bed after a workout, knowing that you did
your best and that you can finally wrap up the day. It’s so comforting I’d even call it selfcare. <3
More time in the morning to have a nice breakfast (or just sleep more)
Again with the slow morning concept – if you value your morning time as much as me (and if it’s the only
time that you have for yourself, with no interruptions), you know that the morning routine is sacred and it
can improve your mood so much when done well. If the gym does not fit into that routine, that’s perfectly
fine! And it means you have more time to spend before work, either making coffee, cooking, or even
journaling if you’re into that. A few calm minutes of your morning can lead to a much more productive day.
Something to look forward to in the day! (if you enjoy it)
What I used to say (half-jokingly, half not) was that I enjoyed evening gym sessions because, even if I did
not accomplish anything at work, I could feel like I did something if I just went to the gym after. And more
often than not, this was the case. Even when everything was failing, I could still tell myself: it’s okay
because today we have leg day after �� (horrible! But still better than working).
Fun way to end your day and disconnect from work and school
Very linked to the previous one – if you had a stressful day, you can completely forget about it when
you’re pushing until failure in the gym. You won’t have time to think about work if you’re at the gym, and
for me it was the perfect way to disconnect and make sure I wasn’t still thinking about work by the time I
went to bed.
Cons:
Extremely full
There’s really no way around this. It’s all fun and games until the fitness suit looks like a club because
everyone’s standing up and sweaty and it looks so crowded you can’t even walk.
No chance for last-minutes evening plans
If you’re disciplined, this shouldn’t be a problem. But if you’re like me and you can’t say no, it will be
difficult to stick to your routine if your friends suggest a pint, pizza, or anything that is slightly more
appealing than the gym (so, basically everything).
To summarize: I would not say that I prefer one to the other, as each of these routines have their perks
and their downsides, but it depends on your lifestyle and what makes you feel better. If you like to
romanticize your morning and think of yourself as a more grounded, tranquil individual, maybe an evening
gym routine would be better. If you like the grind and the Patrick Bateman inspired lifestyle (without like,
the psychopath part), maybe the morning gym routine is more suitable for you. I really still can’t decide
which one I enjoy the most :)