For many, a morning workout is the more typical and productive exercise regimen to follow. But certain studies conducted by physical health research organizations say otherwise.
A group of Australian researchers who published their work in the journal Diabetes Care, examined data from nearly 30,000 people over eight years and found that those living with obesity benefited the most from physical activity when they exercised between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight.
Using wearable devices to track movement, researchers collected data from UK Biobank for 29,836 adults over the age of 40 who were classified as obese. Approximately 3,000 of the participants also had Type 2 diabetes.
The study also noted that the activity did not have to be limited to traditional exercise routines; as long as the subjects were getting their heart rate up and pushing themselves for a few minutes, it was effective.
Just three minutes of getting their heart rate up was enough to show some benefits, according to the study. Research in the past has also shown that just three minutes of exercise a day can have a significant effect on glucose levels and lower risks of cardiovascular disease.
What’s more, the rate and quantity at which people did these bursts of physical activity proved to be more impactful than their total amount of exercise in the day, as getting their heart rate up for several minutes periodically throughout the day seemed to be more effective than one longer fitness session. This is especially true if the one exercise session is followed by sitting in an office chair for an eight-hour work day.
“We didn’t discriminate on the kind of activity we tracked, it could be anything from power walking to climbing the stairs, but could also include structured exercise such as running, occupational labor or even vigorously cleaning the house,” Dr. Matthew Ahmadi, National Heart Foundation postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Sydney, stated in a study release.
It’s worth noting that the observations from this project contrast some other studies previously conducted that suggested morning workouts are the most effective toward weight loss.
Yet, aside from how the time of day impacts workout results, the conclusion that trying to be as active as you can throughout the day will lead to improved bodily health is substantiated by this particular study.
