Regular physical activity is essential to prevent and help manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, as well as reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, slow cognitive decline, improve memory, and boost brain health.
But, when we get down to it, many doubts assail us. There is a lot of talk about what type of training is best according to your goals, about how to eat before and after a workout, and other aspects related to the quality of exercise. But, there is something that we often overlook and that can also help us achieve our goals more efficiently, knowingwhat is the best time to train. What does science say about the most beneficial schedule for our health?
Exercising during the first hours of the night improves the functioning of the metabolism and makes it easier to control blood sugar levels , according to research.
Experts from the Australian Catholic University and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology studied the metabolic health of 24 inactive men who were at risk of type 2 diabetes and were fed a high-fat diet .
The scientists found that both morning and evening exercise improved cardiorespiratory fitness, but only late-day workouts lowered overnight glucose levels .
Greater glycemic control
According to lead investigator Trine Moholdt , exercise physiologist and physical therapist, the study findings are of particular importance for diabetics, who often have impaired glucose regulation .
Moholdt works with exercise training as a therapeutic tool to prevent and treat cardiometabolic diseases and to improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes and is head of the Exercise, Cardiometabolic Health and Reproduction Research Group at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (EXCAR).
On the findings, he considered: ” We found that exercising in the morning or in the evening induced similar improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, but nighttime glycemic control only improved in the evening exercise group .”
But its benefits do not stop there, according to a study published by the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, maximum muscle performance occurs in the afternoon and early evening , due to fluctuating hormone levels and body temperature. central.
Speeds up metabolism
Another study published by the University of Jyväskylä in Filandia, concluded that people who exercise at night have a more pleasant rest and improve heart rate. But it also revealed something that surely interests you: Lose weight! When you exercise at night, the metabolism speeds up its functions and the calorie burn is greater than when you train in the morning. Cortisol —a hormone that is released by stress and prevents weight loss when it has high levels— is regulated by physical activity, making it easier to stay in shape.
However, you should keep in mind that it is not advisable to do intense sports just before going to sleep, it is best to give your body time to stabilize before going to bed. In fact, the best thing to do is It would be that you give about 2 hours of margin between the end of the exercise and going to sleep.
These are some extra benefits of signing up for night sports:
1. Helps to fall asleep: In some cases and as long as stimulants are not taken prior to training. Contrary to popular belief, exercising at night can help some people sleep better and fall asleep faster , although they are usually in the minority.
2. Relieves stress: After an exhausting day of responsibilities, exercising will relax you, thanks to the secretion of hormones that will free you from tension and improve your mood.
3. Better concentration: At the end of the day everything is calm and quiet, less people in the gym normally in the last hours and therefore fewer distractions. The streets will be just for you, if what you like is running or a long walk.
4. The risk of injury is considerably reduced: During the morning, the musculature is not yet at its peak, while at night the opposite occurs, after being active all day it remains alert.
