News: Is this the best time of day to exercise?

The time of day you’re exercising could have a bigger impact on your sleep than you may think. We know that regular exercise helps improve sleep quality, and it turns out, exercising in the afternoon is best when it comes to regulating our circadian rhythms.

For a study, published in December’s Journal of Physiology, researchers gathered several types of mice and monitored their exercise habits (running). Those mice who ran in the afternoon saw the largest benefit to their internal clocks. Mice running at this point in the day "produced more clock proteins and pumped the protein more efficiently to the rest of the body than animals that ran early in their day," reports the NY Times.

Late-night exercise (around 11 p.m.), on the other hand, had a negative effect on circadian rhythms.

What time of the day do you exercise? How does exercise impact your sleep?

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