Researchers Discover The Best Time To Work Out To Live Longer

It goes without saying that any physical activity you do is beneficial for your health. However, a new study published in Nature Communications found there’s one part of the day that’s the best time to work out if you want to live longer. As it turns out, those who exercise between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. are less likely to die from heart disease.

To come to this conclusion, the study authors used data from more than 92,000 people enrolled in the UK biobank. They looked at exercise time and frequency and compared that with death records. As it turns out, early morning or late-night exercisers fared worse than those who did their working out mid-day.

That being said, the researchers were quick to add that all exercise, from a brisk walk to hitting the elliptical for 30 minutes, is good for you at any time of day. Whenever you can fit it in, do it. Even those who worked out first thing in the morning or before bed saw some benefits. Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer were just a couple.

It should also be mentioned that afternoon workouts were most beneficial to elderly people and men. (Of course!) This may be because this time of day is when people are least likely to have heart attacks.

If you’re someone who loves working out early in the morning and don’t want to change your routine, don’t worry. A recent study on mice discovered doing so burns more body fat and gives you a faster metabolism.

”Our results suggest that late morning exercise could be more effective than late evening exercise in terms of boosting the metabolism and the burning of fat, and if this is the case, they could prove of value to people who are overweight,” Professor Juleen R. Zierath from the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Karolinska Institutet said in a statement.

Jennifer Still is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience. The managing editor of Bolde, she has bylines in Vanity Fair, Business Insider, The New York Times, Glamour, Bon Appetit, and many more. You can follow her on Twitter @jenniferlstill
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