Moderate to vigorous physical activity in the evening is most beneficial for lowering blood sugar levels in sedentary adults who are overweight or obese.
- Doing more than half of your daily exercise between 6 p.m. and midnight reduces blood sugar levels during the day and night.
- This association was stronger in people with impaired glucose regulation.
- “Certified athletic and medical personnel should consider the optimal time of day to improve the effectiveness of the exercise and physical activity programs they prescribe,” the authors say.
“Physical activity improves blood sugar, but it is still unclear whether the timing of physical activity affects daily blood sugar control,” wrote researchers from the University of Granada (Spain) in a study published in the journal Obesity. That is why in their work they decided to determine the optimal time to exercise in order to lower blood sugar levels.
Physical activity and blood sugar levels of 186 patients measured over 14 days
To carry out their work, the scientists used data from baseline examinations carried out as part of a Spanish trial. The aim of this cohort was to analyse the effectiveness and feasibility of time-restricted feeding on visceral adipose tissue, body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults suffering from overweight and obesity. Thus, it included 186 people, with an average age of 46 years and a body mass index of 32.9 kg/m2. The participants’ physical activity and blood glucose levels were monitored simultaneously over a period of 14 days using a triaxial accelerometer worn on the wrist and a continuous glucose monitoring device.
Each day, physical activity volume was categorized. Categories included inactivity if no activity was performed, and the categories “morning”, “afternoon”, or “evening” if more than 50% of the sport minutes for that day occurred between 6 am and noon, noon and 6 pm, 6 pm and midnight, or the category “mixed” if none of the defined time windows accounted for more than 50% of the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for that day.
Exercising between 6pm and midnight lowers blood sugar levels
Results showed that performing more than 50% moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the evening was associated with lower daytime, nighttime, and overall blood glucose levels compared with inactivity. This association was stronger in volunteers with impaired glucose regulation. “The pattern of these associations was similar in men and women. (…) Our research highlights the importance of the field of precision exercise prescription. In clinical practice, certified sports and medical personnel should consider the optimal time of day to improve the effectiveness of the exercise and physical activity programs they prescribe,” said Jonatan R. Ruizprofessor of physical activity and health and co-author of the study.