Differential benefits of 12-week morning vs. evening aerobic exercise on sleep and cardiometabolic health: a randomized controlled trial

May 26, 2025Scientific reports

Different effects of 12 weeks of morning versus evening aerobic exercise on sleep and heart and metabolism health

AI simplified

Abstract

Fifty-eight sedentary males participated in a 12-week exercise program that resulted in significant reductions in body fat.

  • Both morning and evening exercise groups experienced reductions in body fat after 12 weeks.
  • Morning exercise led to decreased total cholesterol and triglycerides, with significant changes observed as early as week 4.
  • Shortened sleep latency was noted in both exercise groups, with the morning group experiencing advancements in sleep-wake cycles.
  • Improvements in vascular function were observed in both groups, with evening exercise showing greater enhancements in blood flow and carotid artery dilation.
  • Systolic blood pressure was lowered in both exercise groups, indicating cardiovascular benefits from the intervention.

AI simplified

Key numbers

12 weeks
Body Fat Reduction
Both exercise groups showed significant decreases in body fat mass after 12 weeks.
Total cholesterol decreased after morning exercise
Cholesterol Decrease
Morning exercise group showed significant reductions in total cholesterol and triglycerides.
6.70±2.40 min
Sleep Latency Reduction
Sleep latency was reduced in the morning exercise group after 12 weeks.

Full Text

We can’t show the full text here under this license. Use the link below to read it at the source.

what lands in your inbox each week:

  • 📚7 fresh studies
  • 📝plain-language summaries
  • direct links to original studies
  • 🏅top journal indicators
  • 📅weekly delivery
  • 🧘‍♂️always free