It’s the age-old debate: what time of day is best to exercise? Should you go to the gym in the early morning hours when you’re still half asleep or after a long day at work when you’re exhausted?
An intriguing new study appears to have settled the question.
Researchers from the University of Sydney have shown that people who exercise at night have a lower risk of developing heart disease and death than people who exercise in the morning.
The study found that obese people who exercised after 6 p.m. had a 61 percent lower risk of death and a 36 percent lower risk of developing heart disease compared to obese people who did not exercise at all.
But obese people who exercised in the morning had about half the benefits: They were only 33 percent less likely to die and 17 percent less likely to develop heart disease.
Evening exercises emerged in this study as the most effective method for longevity
“Exercise is certainly not the only solution to the obesity crisis, but this research does suggest that people who can schedule their activities at certain times of the day can best offset some of these health risks,” said study author Dr. Matthew Ahmadi of the University of Sydney, said.
The University of Sydney researchers analyzed the exercise routines and results of nearly 30,000 obese people with an average age of 62 over an eight-year period. At the start of the study, they monitored the individual’s physical activity for a week using a 24-hour fitness tracker.
Their physical activity was not limited to exercise, but also included things like walking and cleaning the house.
The participants were divided into four categories depending on when most of their activity took place: morning, afternoon and evening. Morning exercisers trained from 6 a.m. to 12 noon. Afternoon athletes trained from noon to 6 p.m. Evening athletes trained from 6 p.m. to midnight.
After eight years, the scientists analyzed the data, taking into account differences in age, gender, smoking habits and dietary intake. They also do not include individuals with pre-existing heart disease and cancer.
The scientists used an accelerometer, similar to a Fitbit, to determine the participants’ activity levels
Evening exercisers had the best results compared to the other groups. Afternoon exercisers were also found to be less effective than evening exercisers – with a 40 percent lower risk of death and a 16 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
“This study suggests that the timing of physical activity could be an important part of recommendations for future obesity and type 2 diabetes management, and preventive healthcare in general,” said Professor Emmaneul Stamatakis, author of the study and director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub at Charles said Perkins Center.
The study authors offer a number of theories as to why this might be the case.
First, blood sugar levels are often higher at the end of the day. Exercising when your blood sugar levels are relatively high allows the muscles to take excess sugar from the bloodstream and use it as fuel, giving you more energy and increasing the number of calories burned.
Over time, this can help you lose more weight and achieve better health outcomes.
The above graph shows estimates for global diabetes cases.
Then there are some proof that exercising at night can help lower blood pressure at night, which can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Previous research by Japanese and Dutch researchers has shown that exercising in the afternoon and evening can better stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of insulin sensitivity; a precursor to diabetes.
Meanwhile, other studies have shown that exercising in the evening can have stress-relieving effects and reduce emotional eating behaviors.
In 2022, WHO It is estimated that 890 million adults live with obesity.
Carrying too much weight is linked to a host of lifestyle diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and more. According to figures from New York University, there were 537 million adults living with diabetes in 2021 International Diabetes Federation.
Eating habits, genetics and medical conditions can all contribute to a person’s likelihood of developing obesity. But doctors regularly recommend regular exercise as one of the best ways to combat obesity.