A recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology investigated the associations between the timing of physical activity and the risks of heart disease and stroke, using data from the UK Biobank, encompassing more than 85,000 individuals.
The study found that morning physical activity is linked to the lowest risk of heart disease and stroke, with these associations being more pronounced in women.
Ms. Gali Albalak of Leiden University Medical Centre, the Netherlands, led the study which involved 86,657 adults aged between 42 and 78 years, who had no pre-existing cardiovascular diseases.
Participants were monitored using activity trackers for seven days and were followed up for six to eight years for the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, defined as either the first hospital admission or death related to coronary artery disease or stroke.
Key Findings
During the follow-up period, 2,911 participants developed coronary artery disease, and 796 experienced a stroke.
The analysis revealed that being most active between 8 am and 11 am was associated with the lowest risks of heart disease and stroke, regardless of the total amount of daily activity.
The risk reductions were 11% and 16% for early and late morning physical activity, respectively, for incident coronary artery disease, compared to midday activity.
Moreover, late morning activity was associated with a 17% reduced risk of incident stroke compared to midday activity.
When analyzed by gender, the associations were particularly pronounced in women but were not significant in men, with women experiencing up to 24% and 35% lower risks of incident coronary artery disease and stroke, respectively, with late morning activity.
Implications and Conclusion
This observational study highlights the potential benefits of morning physical activity, particularly in late mornings, in reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases, especially in women.
Ms. Albalak remarked that it might be too early to prioritize morning exercise formally, given the nascent stage of this field of research, but the findings add a crucial dimension to understanding the optimal timing of exercise for cardiovascular health benefits.
While the study doesn’t provide causal explanations, especially regarding the more pronounced associations in women, it opens avenues for further research to refine and potentially modify current physical activity recommendations, emphasizing the possible advantages of morning physical activity in mitigating cardiovascular risks.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies about What your eyes might tell about your heart health and findings of Scientists find new cause of heart disease.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about a new way to repair human heart, and results showing drinking coffee may help reduce heart failure risk.
The research findings can be found in European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
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