Some people prefer morning workouts and morning runs, while others prefer to run at night or work up a sweat at the gym after work at night. People who exercise in the morning believe that exercising on an empty stomach in the morning is more conducive to fat loss and elimination of body waste, while those who exercise in the evening believe that exercising in the evening accelerates food digestion and promotes sleep.
In fact, many people exercise wrongly, and more and more studies have found that the "best exercise time" is different for different people!
【Obese people who want to lose weight】
Exercise in the evening for maximum gains
A 2024 study published in Diabetes Care found that adults with obesity or diabetes experience the most effective and beneficial exercise at night. ①
The study found that moderate to vigorous physical activity at night (18~24 o'clock), especially aerobic exercise, can not only improve the risk of cardiovascular-related diseases, but also improve glucose tolerance and insulin resistance caused by circadian rhythm changes. For adults who are obese and want to lose weight or have diabetes, blood sugar balance in the body plays an important role in the body's physical health.
Exercising in the evening is more effective in relieving the increase in blood sugar and the decrease in insulin sensitivity in the liver caused by meals, which can lead to lower fasting blood sugar levels in the morning. In addition, studies have found that exercising at night may reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in obese and diabetic patients.
【People with a bad heart】
It's safer to exercise in the afternoon
Many people who are not very good at heart will have a "sudden beat" as soon as they exercise, especially when they exercise vigorously, they are worried about danger. In February 2023, a study published in the journal Nature Communications by Zhang Jihui's team from the Brain Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University found that compared with other time periods of the day, exercise in the afternoon (11:00-17:00) further reduced all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality. ②
The researchers analysed 92,000 participants and analyzed the risk of death from all-cause, cardiovascular disease by recording their exercise time and intensity. Participants were divided into 4 groups based on their exercise time:
1. Morning Session (5:00-11:00)
2. Afternoon Group (11:00-17:00)
3. Evening Group (17:00-24:00)
4. Mixed group (time is not fixed)
The results of the study found that:
1. Moderate to vigorous physical activity at any time of the day may reduce the risk of death from all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer;
2. However, compared with the morning group and the evening group, exercising every afternoon (11:00-17:00) reduced the risk of cardiovascular mortality the most. Among them, all-cause mortality decreased by 11%, and cardiovascular mortality decreased by as much as 28%.
In other words, for people with poor heart and cardiovascular disease, choosing afternoon exercise (11:00-17:00) is more conducive to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease death and the probability of sudden death during exercise than exercise in the morning and evening.
【High-risk groups for diabetes】
Afternoon and evening workouts are better
Exercising at different times of the day also has different effects on the body's endocrine metabolism. A November 2022 study published in the journal Diabetologia found that exercising in the afternoon or evening was better at preventing diabetes. ③
The study divided exercise time into:
Morning (6-12 p.m.)
Afternoon (12-18 p.m.)
Evening (18-24 o'clock)
The study found that:
Moderate to vigorous activity in the afternoon (12-18 pm) is associated with an 18% reduction in insulin resistance.
Moderate to vigorous activity in the evening (18-24 o'clock) is associated with a 25% reduction in insulin resistance.
In other words, exercise in the afternoon or evening is the best way to lower blood sugar, and for people at high risk of diabetes (obesity, family history of diabetes), exercising in the afternoon or evening is more helpful to reduce insulin resistance and prevent the occurrence of diabetes.
When exercising at moderate and high intensity, do these 5 points
Regardless of the above studies, it is mentioned that "moderate to high intensity" should be achieved when exercising. In order to make exercise more efficient and safer. Therefore, when doing moderate and high-intensity exercise, you should do these 5 points:
1. Warm up well before exercising
Be sure to warm up well before exercising to avoid sports injuries. After exercising, do a good job of muscle stretching and relaxation. If you have recently felt unwell, have a cold, fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness, headache, joint discomfort, etc., avoid continuing to exercise.
2. The exercise process should be gradual
Exercise should be gradual, do what you can, do not exercise, especially people who usually do not move, it is best not to suddenly exercise vigorously, which is prone to sports injuries. In particular, people who are obese or have joint diseases should be wary of excessive exercise causing damage to the body.
3. Stop feeling unwell during exercise
If there is discomfort during exercise, stop in time. "Sudden death from exercise is also prone to occur after illness, poor health, overwork, lack of sleep, cold and fever, and when participating in sports. Hu Xitian, chief physician of the Fourth Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of Shijiazhuang First Hospital, reminded in an interview with Hebei News Network in 2016 that if you are very tired recently, it is best to reduce strenuous exercise, and once you feel chest tightness, lack of oxygen, dizziness, and radiation pain in your back, you should immediately stop exercising and go to the hospital for examination. ④
4. Do a cooling exercise after exercising
The sudden stop of a person after strenuous exercise is equivalent to "sudden braking", and a "cold exercise" should be done after exercise. Liu Peizhong, deputy chief physician of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of Zhuhai Hospital of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, introduced in an article in Health Times in 2019 that cold exercise can slow down the rapid heartbeat to a safe level, accelerate the excretion of metabolites such as lactic acid, relax muscles, eliminate fatigue as soon as possible, promote physical recovery, and reduce muscle soreness after exercise. ⑤
Jogging, brisk walking, stretching and relaxation after moderate to high intensity exercise can maintain and promote blood return. In the cold exercise, gradually slow down the movement, and the heart rate drops below 120 beats per minute, which generally takes 5~10 minutes.
Health Times Figure
5. Don't binge drink after exercising
Many people feel dry mouth after exercise and want to drink a lot of water quickly, at this time it is recommended to calm the body first, drink water many times in small sips, and do not drink in large gulps. Tao Ling, director of the Department of Cardiology of the Second People's Hospital of Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, said in an interview with Rushing News in 2022, "Because water accumulates in the stomach and intestines for a short time, in addition to feeling heavy and stuffy in the stomach, it will also affect the activity of the diaphragm, which in turn affects normal breathing." The entry of large amounts of water into the blood can also cause a rapid increase in blood volume, which can suddenly increase the burden on the heart, resulting in abnormal cardiopulmonary function. ”⑥
From the Health Times