The early birds get a point for this one.
New research in the International Journal of Cancer suggests that people who exercise in the early morning might have a reduced risk of developing cancer than those who exercise later in the day.
The researchers found physical activity between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. had the biggest impact.
Early morning exercise might have lowered the risk for breast cancer by 25% and prostate cancer by 27%.
There were several reasons cited for the results, but one strong correlation is the relationship exercise has with a person’s circadian rhythm.
Night shift has been labeled as “probably” carcinogenic to humans because it disrupts a person’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
Exercise can potentially improve circadian rhythms at the same time reducing cancer risk.
As with most research, more information is needed to draw a definitive conclusion. But considering that by the end of the year the National Cancer Institute estimates more than 1.8 million people will get a cancer diagnosis and more than 600,000 people die from the disease -- it’s worth noting.