What is the best time to exercise? For most people, the answer depends on family and working hours. But in the last decade, several studies have found that this problem is due to much more than these limitations. The latest scientific evidence shows that the effectiveness of exercise depends on the time of day.

Now, a randomized controlled trial not only convincingly confirms that time of day influences exercise effectiveness. It also shows that these effects differ between types of exercise and between men and women.

“We have shown for the first time that morning exercise reduces belly fat and blood pressure in women. Nighttime exercise improves upper body muscle strength, power, and endurance. It improves overall mood and nutritional satiety, said Paul J. Arciero, principal investigator of the study and professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiological Sciences at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs (New York, United States).

In men, evening exercise “reduces blood pressure, the risk of heart disease and the feeling of fatigue. It also burns more fat compared to morning exercise,” says Arciero.

Research: the best time to exercise

In their study, published in the scientific journal ‘Frontiers in Physiology’, the authors recruited 30 women and 26 men. All were between the ages of 25-55, healthy, very active, non-smoker, and of normal weight. They were trained by trainers for 12 weeks according to a program previously developed by the researchers.

This exercise was as follows: 60 minutes of resistance training and sprint interval training depending on the day of the week. Also with stretching training or resistance training. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday were days off.

Participants followed a specially designed meal plan with a protein intake of between 1.1 and 1.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day.

Those assigned to morning exercise ate breakfast after exercise and ate three more meals at four-hour intervals. Those assigned to evening exercise ate three meals four hours apart before training and then ate one meal.

Only 16% dropped out

Aerobic power, muscular endurance, flexibility, and balance were extensively evaluated at the beginning and end of the trial. Also the strength and power of the upper and lower body, as well as the ability of the participants to jump. Only 16% of the 56 enrolled participants stopped working for 12 weeks. This was because they simply could not follow the diet and exercise program.

In addition to changes in the participants’ physical and metabolic parameters, such as blood pressure, arterial stiffness, respiratory exchange rate and body distribution, and percentage of fat throughout the trial, the researchers also measured changes in blood biomarkers. For example, insulin, total cholesterol and HDL ‘good’ cholesterol, C-reactive protein and IL-6. They also administered questionnaires to the participants to measure changes in mood and feelings of food satiety.

clear benefits

The researchers ensured that all participants improved their overall health and performance throughout the trial. This is whatever your morning or evening exercise task is.

But more importantly, they also show that the time of day determines the strength of improvements in physical performance. As well as body composition, cardiometabolic health and mood.

For example, all participants reduced total body fat, abdominal and hip fat, and blood pressure throughout the trial. However, these improvements were greater in women who exercised in the morning.

Only men who exercised in the afternoon had a decrease in their blood pressure in the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL. As oil becomes the preferred fuel source, as does the respiratory exchange rate and oxidation of carbohydrates.

According to our findings, women interested in increasing leg muscle strength while reducing belly fat and blood pressure should consider exercising in the morning.

However, evening exercise is the preferred option for women who want to build upper body muscle strength, strength and endurance, as well as improve their overall mood and food intake.

On the contrary, nighttime exercise is ideal for men interested in improving emotional well-being as well as heart and metabolic health,” summarizes Arciero.

Grupo de Diarios América (GDA), to which El Nacional belongs, is a leading media network founded in 1991 that promotes democratic values, independent press and freedom of expression in Latin America through quality journalism for our hearings.