Afternoon, nighttime exercise may be better for you than in the morning

BOSTON — Exercise between noon and midnight may be better for our blood sugar.

Researchers looked at hundreds of middle-aged overweight adults in the Netherlands. They found that compared to spreading physical activity throughout the day or exercising in the morning, afternoon exercise was associated with an 18% reduction in insulin resistance, and working out at night was associated with a 25% reduction. 

Insulin resistance occurs when cells stop responding to insulin, causing blood sugars to rise which can eventually lead to Type 2 diabetes. 

It’s not clear whether everyone will benefit from moving their workouts later in the day, and of course, exercise at any time of day is better than none.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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