A team of researchers from the University of Sydney has just resolved the question, after following nearly 30,000 obese adults for eight years. Result: those who exercise in the evening live longer and are better protected against cardiovascular diseases. All participants wore an activity tracker, which allowed the scientists to classify the exercisers according to their dominant time of exercise: between 6 a.m. and noon for early morning people, from noon to 6 p.m. for afternoon exercisers, and from 6 p.m. to midnight for late bloomers. And it is in this last tranche that the benefits proved to be the clearest, well beyond expectations.
In the evening, an ideal window for moving according to the numbers
Comparing the data from those who played sports to those who did not play sports at all, the differences are striking. Obese people who were active in the evening had a 61% lower risk of death and a 36% lower risk of heart disease. Conversely, morning people had a 33% lower risk of death and a 17% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. As for the afternoon athletes, their results remained positive but less impressive: 40% lower risk of death, 16% for cardiac pathologies.
For Dr Matthew Ahmadi, lead author of the study, the issue goes well beyond simple performance: it is about optimizing the effects of the effort. According to him, people who can choose their sports schedule have every interest in aiming for the evening time slot to best compensate for the risks linked to obesity.
A time when the body is more receptive
But why would exercising at the end of the day be more effective? Several explanations emerge. Blood sugar levels tend to be higher late in the day. At that point, muscles can draw on more of these reserves, improving calorie burning. Over time, this could promote more significant weight loss.
Another benefit: Evening exercise appears to help lower blood pressure overnight, an important benefit for the heart. Work carried out in Japan and the Netherlands had already shown that late physical activity stabilized blood sugar levels better and reduced the risk of developing insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. Finally, for those prone to emotional eating, a session after work would act as a release and limit uncontrolled snacking.
A simple routine to adjust, without upsetting everything
No need to overhaul your entire organization to benefit from these benefits. Sometimes it is enough to slightly shift your daily session or introduce a gentle activity at the end of the day. Walking half an hour after dinner, cycling on the way home or taking a Pilates class at 8 p.m. can be enough to start a positive dynamic.
Here are some simple ideas to get started without constraints:
- Plan a moderate session after 6 p.m., without aiming for performance;
- Prepare your sports gear in advance to avoid excuses;
- Avoid sessions that are too late as they risk disturbing sleep.
Of course, any physical activity remains beneficial, whatever the time. But if we are to believe this large-scale study, it is the evening slot which offers the most gains. And sometimes, a simple reorganization of your schedule can make all the difference, without having to get up at dawn.