When you want to lower your blood sugar level, this is the niche that you must choose (and not another).
Having regular physical activity allows you to stay in good health, for the heart, muscles, organs in general, weight, sleep and mentality. What is less known is that sport also helps regulate blood sugar levels, that is to say blood sugar levels. And according to Spanish researchers whose study is to be published in the journal Obesity, doing it at a certain time of the day would be particularly effective in reducing it. As a reminder, chronic hyperglycemia, even if low, promotes long-term complications such as stroke, vision problems and kidney failure.
The information collected is intended for CCM Benchmark Group to ensure the sending of your newsletter.
They will also be used, subject to the options subscribed, by CCM Benchmark Group for the purposes of advertising targeting and commercial prospecting within the Le Figaro Group, as well as with our commercial partners.
The processing of your email for advertising purposes and personalized content is carried out when you register on this form. However, you can object to this at any time.
More generally, you have the right to access and rectify your personal data, as well as the right to request its erasure within the limits provided by law. You can also review your commercial prospecting and targeting options at any time. Learn more about our privacy policy or our Cookies policy.
These researchers from the University of Granada followed 186 adults (50% women) with an average age of 47 and an average body mass index (BMI) of 32.9 kg/m². They all suffered from overweight or obesity and at least one metabolic deficiency (high blood pressure, diabetes, high waist circumference, cholesterol, etc.). The researchers measured the level of physical activity (moderate to vigorous) and analyzed the participants’ blood sugar curves over a 14-day period. These were then divided into 5 groups according to their volume of physical activity per day:
► the “inactive” group (no activity was carried out during the day),
► the “morning sport” group (more than half of the activity was practiced between 6 a.m. and noon),
► the “afternoon sport” group (more than half of the activity was practiced between noon and 6 p.m.),
► the “sport in the evening” group (more than half of the activity was practiced between 6 p.m. and midnight)
► the “mixed” group (none of the defined time slots represented more than half of the activity).
Participants’ average physical activity level was 21 minutes per day. The results showed that practicing more than 50% of your total daily physical activity in the evening – between 6 p.m. and midnight – was the most effective in reducing your blood sugar: -1.10 mg/dL for daytime blood sugar, −2.16 mg/dL for nighttime blood glucose and -1.26 mg/dL for overall blood glucose, compared to the “inactive” group. These results were valid for both men and women. Blood sugar levels were even more reduced in participants with problems regulating blood sugar levels such as type 2 diabetes.In clinical practice, sports and medical personnel should consider the optimal time of day to improve the effectiveness of the exercise and physical activity programs they prescribe“, estimated Jonatan R. Ruiz, professor of physical activity and health, co-author of the study.
We often advise against practicing sports in the evening because it could disrupt sleep. Especially intense physical activities which increase body temperature and make it difficult to fall asleep. On the other hand, gentle activities like gym or pilates do not delay falling asleep. Health professionals generally recommend waiting at least two hours between exercise and going to bed and ending your evening session with a few minutes of relaxation and stretching. A timing compatible with the results of this study which must still be confirmed on a larger scale.
