Many people who love exercising often wonder, “Is it better to exercise in the morning or in the afternoon?” There are various claims about the best time to work out online, with some saying, “Exercising on an empty stomach in the morning is beneficial for lowering blood sugar,” and others claiming, “Exercising in the afternoon can help prolong life.”

However, the latest research has confirmed that the “best time to exercise” is neither in the morning nor in the afternoon, and many people have been exercising at the wrong time!

On June 10, 2024, researchers from the University of Granada in Spain published a study in the journal Obesity, revealing that the best time to exercise during the day is actually “after 6 PM!” Exercising after 6 PM is most beneficial for lowering blood sugar levels.

The study analyzed 186 overweight/obese adults with at least one metabolic disorder, who had an average age of 47 years, with a balanced gender ratio. By continuously monitoring their exercise and blood sugar levels for 14 days, the research analyzed the best timing for exercise to improve blood sugar. The exercise times were categorized into:

• Not exercising
• Morning exercise
• Afternoon exercise
• Evening exercise
• Mixed exercise (at variable times)

The results found that compared to not exercising, exercising after 6 PM reduced the 24-hour blood sugar level by 1.28, daytime blood sugar level by 1.1, and nighttime blood sugar level by 2.14; exercising in the afternoon reduced the 24-hour blood sugar level by 0.98, daytime blood sugar level by 0.76, and nighttime blood sugar level by 1.72; while morning exercise and mixed exercise did not show a statistically significant correlation with reduced blood sugar levels.

The study conclusively proved that exercising after 6 PM is most advantageous for lowering blood sugar. Furthermore, the positive impact of exercising after 6 PM on lowering blood sugar was consistent in both men and women. More importantly, the researchers found that for individuals with impaired glucose regulation, exercising after 6 PM had a more significant positive impact on blood sugar control.

In other words, it’s recommended for both men and women to exercise after 6 PM for the best effect on lowering blood sugar; and for those with impaired glucose regulation or in the prediabetic stage, exercising after 6 PM has even clearer benefits for blood sugar control, keeping diabetes at bay to the greatest extent!

Besides helping with blood sugar levels, obesity, and diabetes prevention, exercising after 6 PM also shows advantages in reducing cardiovascular disease risks and prolonging life!

In April 2024, researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia published a study in the journal Diabetes Care, also indicating that exercising after 6 PM offers the most health benefits, minimizing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, microvascular diseases, and all-cause mortality.

The researchers analyzed 29,000 participants, with an average age of 62 years, most of whom were overweight or obese, including 2,995 participants with Type 2 diabetes. During an average follow-up period of 8 years, there were 1,425 deaths, 3,980 cardiovascular events, and 2,162 microvascular events. The participants were divided into 3 groups:

Morning (6-12 AM)
Afternoon (12-6 PM)
Evening (6-12 PM)

The study found that engaging in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every evening provides the most health benefits, with the lowest risks of cardiovascular diseases, microvascular diseases, and all-cause mortality.
Specifically, people who performed moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in the evening had a 61% lower risk of death; those exercising in the afternoon had a 40% lower risk of death; and those exercising in the morning had a 33% lower risk of death.