Exercising in the Morning Could Lower Risks of Heart Disease and Stroke

According to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, morning exercises could have lower risks of heart disease and stroke

Working out in the morning is associated with lower risks of heart disease and stroke, according to a European Journal of Preventive Cardiology study of 86,657 participants, 58 percent of whom were women. The morning exercising study followed them for six to eight years to track coronary artery disease and strokes. During the study’s follow up, 2,911 participants developed coronary artery disease and 796 had a stroke. Comparing peak activity times across a 24-hour period, being most active between 8 and 11 am was linked with the lowest risks of both heart disease and stroke.

According to the results, early-morning exercisers have an 11 percent lower risk of heart disease, and late-morning exercisers have a 16 percent lower risk. Late-morning exercisers were also 17 percent less likely to have a stroke. In particular, women benefitted from morning exercise. Of the women in the study, those who exercised early in the morning had a 22 percent lower risk of heart disease. Late-morning female exercisers lowered their risk of heart disease by 24 percent, and their risk of stroke by 35 percent.

The morning exercising study findings were consistent regardless of the total amount of daily activity, and whether participants described themselves as morning or evening people. As this was an observational study, the associations and correlations did not develop conclusive rationale for its results. It may be too early for formal advice on prioritizing morning exercise, but the early observations are promising for athletes who swear by morning workouts.