Men and women have different optimal times for exercising, study says

BOSTON - A small study finds that the optimal time to work out may depend on whether you're a man or a woman. 

For 12 weeks, researchers at Skidmore College followed more than 50 men and women between the ages of 25 and 55 who were considered "highly active," meaning they performed more than 30 minutes of physical activity four days a week or more.  

They found when women worked out in the morning, they lost more fat and had greater reductions in blood pressure while working out at night promoted muscle strength and enhanced mood.  

For men, working out in the evening promoted more fat loss and greater reductions in blood pressure compared to working out in the morning.  

Differences in sleep patterns and hormone production between men and women may play a role. But in the end, people tend to perform best when they exercise at a time that fits best with their schedule and lifestyle, and getting physical activity any time of day is better than getting none.