Key TakeawaysExercise is a key part of type 2 diabetes management.Some research suggests that exercising later in the day has added benefits for glucose control.Moving in the morning is still beneficial for diabetes management, and it is best to prioritize exercising whenever it works for you.
Key Takeaways
Exercise is a key part of type 2 diabetes management.Some research suggests that exercising later in the day has added benefits for glucose control.Moving in the morning is still beneficial for diabetes management, and it is best to prioritize exercising whenever it works for you.
Physical activity is known to offer benefits for people withtype 2 diabetes. Getting at least 150 minutes of exercise each week helps people with diabetes lower blood glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity.A new analysis suggests that the timing of exercise matters, too.
The analysis, published inTheAmerican Journal of Medicine, reviewed dozens of studies and concluded that exercising later in the day can result in better control of blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity.
Exercising in general makes the body more insulin sensitive, which helps manage blood sugar, according toSteven K. Malin, PhD, FACSM, a co-author of the study and an associate professor of kinesiology and health at Rutgers University.
“Moving is going to be really good for your body, to regulate blood glucose, and you don’t have to lose weight to achieve that,” Malin told Verywell.
In his research, Malin found that the body becomes less insulin sensitive as the day goes on, so exercising later in the day may “compensate for biology” and help the body better respond to fluctuating blood sugar levels.
A Guide to Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes
Is It Better to Work Out in the Afternoon If You Have Type 2 Diabetes?
Another study published earlier this year in the journalDiabetes Carealso found thatexercising in the afternoon was associated with improved blood sugar control.
“When people were active in the afternoon, that group had the strongest reduction in hemoglobin A1C, which is a three-month marker of glucose control. Also, at the same time, they use fewer medications, so it’s even more supportive of that,” saidRoeland J.W. Middelbeek, MD, a co-author of the study and a staff physician at the Joslin Diabetes Center.
However, don’t be discouraged ifyou only have time for morning workouts.Consistentexercise is better than none at all, saidJason Ng, MD, a clinical associate professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Can Weight Loss Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?
Should You Work Out Before or After a Meal?
Being physically active is important for type 2 diabetes management, but another factor to consider is meal timing.
A 2018 study published in the journalNutrientsfound that as little as 10 minutes of light exercise after a meal can help people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar levels.
Malin, whose research also found similar benefits for exercising after meals, said to think of the body’s muscles like a sponge. Exercising after a meal means the muscles can help absorb the glucose from the food.
“Doing your exercise after a meal will be helpful because it’s going to help clear that glucose that you just ate,” Malin said.
“I would still encourage people to be active when it fits into their lifestyle when they can do it and build it as a habit,” Middelbeek said. “There might be some additional benefit to doing that in the afternoon after a meal.”
To Prevent Diabetes Complications, a Little Bit of Exercise Is Better Than None
What This Means For YouIf you have type 2 diabetes, exercise can help you stay heathy no matter what time of day you move. There may be some extra benefits if you exercise later in the day, but don’t let that discourage you from working out when it makes sense for you. If you are just starting an exercise routine, consider talking to a trusted healthcare provider about a fitness plan that is right for you.
What This Means For You
If you have type 2 diabetes, exercise can help you stay heathy no matter what time of day you move. There may be some extra benefits if you exercise later in the day, but don’t let that discourage you from working out when it makes sense for you. If you are just starting an exercise routine, consider talking to a trusted healthcare provider about a fitness plan that is right for you.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes: get active!.Syeda USA, Battillo D, Visaria A, Malin SK.The importance of exercise for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.Am J Med Open. 2023;9:100031. doi:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031Qian J, Xiao Q, Walkup MP, et al.Association of timing of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with changes in glycemic control over 4 years in adults with type 2 diabetes from the look ahead trial.Diabetes Care. 2023;46(7):1417-1424. doi:10.2337/dc22-2413Reynolds A, Venn B.The timing of activity after eating affects the glycaemic response of healthy adults: a randomised controlled trial.Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1743. doi:10.3390/nu10111743
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes: get active!.Syeda USA, Battillo D, Visaria A, Malin SK.The importance of exercise for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.Am J Med Open. 2023;9:100031. doi:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031Qian J, Xiao Q, Walkup MP, et al.Association of timing of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with changes in glycemic control over 4 years in adults with type 2 diabetes from the look ahead trial.Diabetes Care. 2023;46(7):1417-1424. doi:10.2337/dc22-2413Reynolds A, Venn B.The timing of activity after eating affects the glycaemic response of healthy adults: a randomised controlled trial.Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1743. doi:10.3390/nu10111743
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes: get active!.Syeda USA, Battillo D, Visaria A, Malin SK.The importance of exercise for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.Am J Med Open. 2023;9:100031. doi:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031Qian J, Xiao Q, Walkup MP, et al.Association of timing of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with changes in glycemic control over 4 years in adults with type 2 diabetes from the look ahead trial.Diabetes Care. 2023;46(7):1417-1424. doi:10.2337/dc22-2413Reynolds A, Venn B.The timing of activity after eating affects the glycaemic response of healthy adults: a randomised controlled trial.Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1743. doi:10.3390/nu10111743
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes: get active!.
Syeda USA, Battillo D, Visaria A, Malin SK.The importance of exercise for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.Am J Med Open. 2023;9:100031. doi:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031
Qian J, Xiao Q, Walkup MP, et al.Association of timing of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with changes in glycemic control over 4 years in adults with type 2 diabetes from the look ahead trial.Diabetes Care. 2023;46(7):1417-1424. doi:10.2337/dc22-2413
Reynolds A, Venn B.The timing of activity after eating affects the glycaemic response of healthy adults: a randomised controlled trial.Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1743. doi:10.3390/nu10111743
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
