When you get your health checkup report and find that your cholesterol is higher than expected, you may feel nervous. But it’s also a reminder that it’s time to adjust your lifestyle habits, such as re-arranging exercise into your schedule to help reduce the number. Research shows that exercise can help improve cholesterol, lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol and raising "good" HDL cholesterol. But if you want to make your efforts more effective, you might be wondering: Are there specific times of day when exercise is better for lowering cholesterol? In this regard, the eatingwell website interviewed cardiologists, sports nutritionists and fitness coaches.
Is there a best time to exercise?
There is currently no consistent conclusion as to whether exercising in the morning, afternoon or evening is best for lowering cholesterol.
Cardiologist Aaron Feingold says it depends on the individual, but research shows that morning exercise may have a slight advantage in managing cholesterol. He explained that the body's circadian rhythm affects fat metabolism, with cholesterol production peaking at night; morning exercise can interrupt this cycle and increase HDL levels during the day.
For example, one study of older adults found that those who exercised in the morning had significantly lower LDL cholesterol than those who exercised in the afternoon. Another study linked morning exercise to a lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, both of which cholesterol plays an important role.
However, exercising in the afternoon or evening also has its advantages. Sports nutritionist Marie Spano points out that research shows that exercising in the evening may lower blood cholesterol more than exercising in the morning. Because during this period, hormonal changes, enzyme activity, and increased insulin sensitivity may promote the removal of fat from the blood, thereby improving blood lipids.
Studies have shown that exercising in the afternoon or evening can reduce insulin resistance by 25%, and insulin resistance is closely related to high cholesterol.
In short, exercise is good for health regardless of time. Experts agree: The most important thing is perseverance. Feingold emphasized that the best time to exercise is the time that allows you to exercise regularly; Spano also added that as long as it allows you to persist in exercising, that is the time that is best for you. 》
What are the benefits of morning exercise?
Fitness coach Amanda Katz said that starting exercise early in the morning can avoid daily chores or excuses to interrupt. She added that morning exercise often leads people to make healthier choices, such as eating oatmeal with berries instead of pastry.
Feingold added that exercising in the morning can improve the insulin sensitivity of the day and promote the regulation of glucose and blood lipids. In addition, morning is also a time when testosterone and growth hormone secretion are higher, which helps fat metabolism and muscle production, thereby supporting a healthier body posture and cholesterol levels.
What are the benefits of afternoon or evening exercise?
For many people, evening exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Katz says exercising after get off work can reduce stress and help you relax, which can improve sleep quality. Long-term stress and lack of sleep will continue to increase cortisol (the stress hormone), leading to dyslipidemia. Evening exercise can indirectly benefit cholesterol by improving sleep and stress.
In addition, the body's core temperature is higher at night, resulting in better exercise performance and more calories burned. Because the perceived intensity of exercise is lower, people are more likely to engage in high-intensity exercise, which is more effective at raising HDL cholesterol, Feingold said.
How to get started?
If you're ready to use exercise to help lower your cholesterol, here are expert tips:
. Segmented Exercise
The recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week can be divided into 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, or broken into multiple smaller segments.
． Plan in advance
Write down your exercise schedule and set feasible goals, such as two group classes or private coaching sessions per week.
． Choose an activity you like
Whether it’s walking, swimming, dancing or cycling, the key is to keep it going.
． Combining aerobic and resistance training
Feingold recommends doing both every week to comprehensively promote cardiovascular and blood lipid health.
． Find a workout buddy
to join friends, or hire a coach to increase attendance.
． Remember your original intention
While lowering cholesterol is the starting point, exercise also increases energy, strengthens muscles, and supports longevity and health.