Science 3 min read

Effect of Morning Exercise is Different from Evenings'

StockSnap / Pixabay

StockSnap / Pixabay

Morning exercise produces a different effect from an evening workout.

According to researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the effect of exercise differs depending on the time of day it’s performed.

Several past studies have emphasized the importance of healthy circadian rhythm. Too little sleep and your physical and mental health could take a deep dive.

Now, researchers are only just discovering how the circadian clock could affect the way we exercise too.

Working with colleagues from the University of California, Irvine, researchers at the University of Copenhagen noted how the time of day an exercise is performed influences the result.

In mice, the studies reveal that the effect of exercise done in the morning (dark/active phase) differs from that performed in the evening (light/resting phase).

How is this possible, you ask?

According to researchers, morning exercise initiates gene programs in the muscle cells. Not only does this make the cells more effective, but it also increases the metabolism of sugar and fats.

On the other hand, evening exercise extends total body expenditure for an extended period. Although the findings appear to favor morning workouts over evenings, that may not be the case.

Morning Exercise is Not More Effective than Evening Exercise

To determine the best time to hit the gym, the researchers measured several effects in the muscle cell. These include the impact on the metabolites as well as the transcriptional response.

Results reveal that both areas produce a strong response in the morning after exercise. The researchers suggest that a central mechanism, HIF1-alfa – which regulate the circadian rhythm – controls the reaction.

As a result, the muscle cells of the person performing the exercise can metabolize sugar and fat effectively. This is even more important if such a person is severely overweight or has type 2 diabetes.

But here’s the thing.

Evening exercise increases your energy expenditure in the hours after the workout. That means, even when the training is over, and you’re resting, your body would still be burning calories.

As such, the researchers can’t conclude that exercises in the morning are better than evening exercise.

Associate Professor from the University of Copenhagen and co-author of the study Jonas Thue Treebak said:

“At this point, we can only conclude that the effects of the two appear to differ, and we certainly have to do more work to determine the potential mechanisms for the beneficial effects of exercise training performed at these two time-points.”

The researcher expressed his desire to extend the studies to humans. He hopes to one day, treat people with metabolic diseases using the timed exercise.

Read More: Here’s a Useful Exercise That Boosts Brain Power

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Sumbo Bello

Sumbo Bello is a creative writer who enjoys creating data-driven content for news sites. In his spare time, he plays basketball and listens to Coldplay.

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