Dr. Niranjan Hiremath - senior consultant in cardiovascular surgery at Apollo Indraprastha Hospital (India) - said that both activities are effective and the choice depends on each person's health status, age, fitness level and lifestyle.
Dr. Hiremath offers analysis to compare the cardiovascular health benefits of both morning and evening walks.
Morning walk
Morning walks are a low-impact cardiovascular exercise but very effective, especially for people with heart disease, the elderly and those who are new to exercise.
According to Dr. Hiremath, walking at a moderate pace helps improve circulation, enhance blood vessel function and regulate blood pressure. Research shows that walking in the morning can reduce arteriosclerosis, lower blood pressure and improve overall blood vessel health.
In addition, exposure to natural light in the early morning helps regulate circadian rhythms, thereby improving sleep quality.
Morning walks also help reduce stress and anxiety, which are factors that cause high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
In addition, morning exercise also supports glucose metabolism, reduces insulin resistance and the risk of type 2 diabetes, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Running in the evening
Running around in the evening is a high-intensity exercise, suitable for people with good physical condition and no cardiovascular problems.
Running helps strengthen the heart muscle, improving the effectiveness of cardiovascular activity. Dr. Hiremath says running can increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.
However, for people with high blood pressure or arrhythmia, be careful when running in the evening, because high-intensity exercise can over-stimulate the circulatory nervous system, affecting sleep and heart rate.
Which exercise should you choose?
Choosing between morning walking and evening running depends on each person's goals and health status. Dr. Hiremath believes that morning walking is very good for maintaining stable cardiovascular health, regulating blood pressure and reducing stress.
Meanwhile, evening jogging helps increase cardiovascular endurance and improve lipid metabolism.
However, the most important factor is still consistency in exercise. Regardless of whether you choose to walk or run, maintaining regular and healthy physical activity will help protect your cardiovascular system in the long term.
"In the end, there is no completely superior method. The important thing is to choose a sustainable exercise routine that is suitable for each person's cardiovascular health," says Dr. Hiremath.
