We are always looking to maximize the benefits of exercise, which is one of the reasons why researchers are interested in learning if there is an optimal time of day to exercise. To put that theory to the test, experts wanted to test whether or not exercising in the morning or evening proved more beneficial for a person’s health. We explore the results of the study and offer our own insight in today’s blog.
Morning Or Evening Exercise?
For the study, researchers grouped participants into one of three groups. There was a:
- 6:30 a.m. exercise group
- 6:30 p.m. exercise group
- A control group
All three groups also ate the same prepackaged foods for the 11-day study. Without going into too much of the details, the study authors found that as bad cholesterol numbers increased in each group based on their prepackaged food diets, the effects of this bad cholesterol were better mitigated by evening exercise compared to morning exercise. In other words, evening exercise was much more beneficial from the standpoint of helping to reduce bad cholesterol, and thus the recommendation was that evening exercise is better.
However, there are a number of concerns with the study, the variables and the data interpretation, and we’re not the only ones who think so. There were only eight participants in each exercise group, and they only exercised for a total of five days of the 11-day stretch. Drawing stark conclusions from such a small sample size, when a bunch of other health factors need to be considered, is a bit of a stretch.
In our opinion, the results can help start a conversation, but we’re hesitant to take the conclusions at face value and say definitively that exercise in the evening is always preferred to exercise in the morning. The key takeaway should be that exercise, at any point in the day, is extremely important for your health. Regular exercise can help to control your cholesterol, help you lose weight and ensure muscles and other structures are functioning properly.
So don’t look at this study and say that you absolutely need to exercise after dinner or before work in the morning. Find a time that works for you that you can commit to regularly and make that your routine. Regular exercise is what matters most, so always making time to exercise is way more important than always exercising at the same time.