Reset Your Body Clock!

Want to boost your brain or build more muscle? It’s time to reschedule your workouts.

- Mary Comber

What’s your favorite time to work out? Perhaps you can’t survive the office without hitting the gym first thing. Or maybe you swear by a run to help you wind down after a long day. But did you know your workout timing can influence your workout success? Or that you can schedule your workouts to match your goals, from losing weight to building muscle?

It’s all down to your body’s circadian rhythms or body clocks, says Dr Satchin Panda, author of new book The Circadian Code (Vermilion, £12.99). We’re all aware of the inner body clock that helps us wake and sleep. But, in fact, each of your body’s cells has its inner clock, programmed to turn on or off specific genes at different times of day or night, influencing every aspect of your health. ‘Even your muscles have a circadian rhythm,’ says Dr Panda. Here’s how to use these rhythms to boost your fitness.

Sleep better

EARLY MORNING