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The effect of the timing point of physical activity and exercise on the metabolic health of adults: (Master thesis)

Ραπτοδήμος, Νικόλαος/ Raptodimos, Nikolaos R/ Φυσιολογία της Άσκησης και Προπονητική

The aim of this systematic review was to examine the effect of exercise timing on the cardiometabolic health of adults. The electronic databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SciELO were used. The search was conducted using keywords and combinations of the terms: chronobiology, exercise timing, cardiometabolic health, and physical exercise.The inclusion criteria for the studies were: (i) randomized or non-randomized protocols with at least one exercise group and a control group; (ii) exercise as an intervention to assess the effect of its timing on cardiometabolic health in adults, with a minimum duration of 2 months; (iii) participants aged over 40 years (both men and women); (iv) data on heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and blood glucose levels; and (v) studies published in Greek or English after 2015.From the total articles identified, 1.123 studies were excluded due to duplication, publication before 2010, or being written in languages other than English or Greek. Of the remaining 897 studies, 555 were excluded because they focused on other conditions, and 520 were excluded due to irrelevant content. Finally, 35 studies were selected for inclusion in this review. The results indicate that the body’s physiological functions vary over 24 hours due to daily behavioral patterns and environmental changes, including sleep/wake cycles, rest/activity periods, and temperature fluctuations. The internal circadian system prepares the body for these expected changes, supporting optimal cardiovascular and metabolic responses. Regular exercise is an effective countermeasure against cardiovascular and metabolic risk, and the benefits for blood pressure appear greater with evening exercise compared to morning exercise. However, further research is needed on the effects of exercise timing on cardiometabolic health in adults, as it may be a valuable approach for managing metabolic disorders.