Working out in the afternoon or evening helps decrease insulin resistance
For those who have diabetes, it is important to keep their blood sugar levels always within the required range for their overall health and well-being. Apart from taking care of your diet, exercise and workouts are one of the ways you can do that. But here is a catch. Morning workouts may not yield as many results.
So, when is the best time to work out?
According to a new study, working out in the afternoon or evening helps decrease insulin resistance, which then controls blood sugar levels, as compared to any other movement throughout the day.
The research, published in the journal Diabetologia, has also explored the connection between physical activity and metabolic health, particularly the timing of that physical activity and breaks taken while you are at rest. What happens to your insulin levels when you exercise in the evening?
The study was conducted with researchers from the Netherlands using data from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity, designed to investigate obesity-related diseases. All invited participants—recruited between 2008 and 2012—lived in the Netherlands and were aged between 45 and 65 years.
Most of the participants had a self-reported body mass index of 27 kg/m² or higher, which makes them overweight or obese. They underwent proper and all physical exams, blood draws, questionnaires, and MRI scans, along with monitors to track activity levels.
Thereafter, researchers found that there was a relation between insulin resistance and the timing of a person’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. All of those who exercised during the afternoon and evening hours, between 12 pm and 12 am, had their insulin resistance significantly go down by 18 and 25 per cent, as compared to those getting even amounts of exercise throughout the day.
Researchers found that exercising during the morning did not have any effect on insulin resistance.
How does exercise keep blood sugar levels low?
When you exercise, like walking, it makes your heart beat a little faster and breathe a little harder. Your muscles use more glucose, the sugar in your bloodstream. Over time, it lowers your blood sugar levels and makes the insulin in your body work better.
However, according to experts, it is also important to note that you should not overdo it. Strenuous exercise sometimes increases blood sugar temporarily after you stop exercising. Very intense exercise can cause the body to make more stress hormones, which can lead to an increase in blood sugar.