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EXPLORE FURTHER: Fitness professionals share their insights on the optimal hour for exercising.
The eternal question remains: When is the optimal time of day to exercise?
However, a fascinating recent study appears to have addressed this issue.
A study conducted in Spain revealed that individuals who engaged in physical activities such as jogging or biking at 6 PM experienced reduced blood glucose levels compared to those who exercised earlier in the day.
The scientists contended that this indicated late exercisers exhibited greater activity
metabolism
and found it easier to withstand hunger cravings.
This indicated that they would both expend more calories throughout the day and take in lesser energy, they proposed.
Research indicates that typically, muscle cells tend to lose their ability to take up blood glucose during the evening hours due to a decrease in insulin levels at that time.
However, working out in the evening increases insulin levels, which makes it simpler for cells to take up glucose from the blood and use it as fuel.
In this study, scientists monitored 186 middle-aged Spaniards, primarily those who were obese, over a period of two weeks.
Every participant used an accelerometer for monitoring physical activity and a continuous blood glucose monitor to keep track of their blood sugar levels.
The exercise periods were divided into three segments: morning from 6 am to 12 pm, afternoon from 12 pm to 6 pm, or evening from 6 pm to 12 am.
The researchers subsequently contrasted blood glucose levels between inactive subjects, who abstained from exercising for 24 hours, and those who engaged in physical activity at various intervals.
Dr. Antonio Clavero-Jimeno, a sports scientist at the University of Granada,
Spain
, among others, noted in the study: ‘Engaging in exercise during the evening seems to positively impact blood glucose levels in inactive adults who are obese.’
The research was conducted solely among individuals who were obese or overweight, so it remains uncertain if these findings are applicable to people with a healthy weight.
However, this aligns with previous research indicating that working out later in the day is most effective for shedding pounds.
A research conducted at the University of Sydney, Australia, revealed that overweight individuals who engaged in physical activity post-6 pm exhibited roughly a 36 percent decreased likelihood of developing heart disease.
Of those who exercised prior to this period, the advantage was merely half as much—or equating to a 17 percent lower likelihood of developing the condition.
A study conducted in 2022 in Germany with 5,000 participants who were either overweight or obese discovered that individuals exercising in the evenings experienced up to a 25 percent decrease in their insulin resistance.
Several weight-loss studies indicate that exercising in the morning may be most effective for shedding pounds.
These findings are derived from data indicating that individuals who work out during these hours often have lower body weights compared to those who exercise in the evening.
However, these aspects do not consider other variables, like individuals who are more health-conscious may be inclined to begin their day with an exercise routine.
According to physicians, any level of physical activity at any point during the day can contribute to weight loss in individuals who are obese, provided they do not consume more calories than their body requires.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), individuals should aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity each week.
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