Lungs Function Better Later in Day

Do any of your clients have asthma or some other type of chronic pulmonary condition? You may want to schedule their next sessions later in the day. A study presented in October at the annual convention of the American College of Chest Physicians found that lungs function best in the late afternoon.

The study looked at 4,835 patients over a 5-year period. Participants underwent several breathing tests and were broken up into nine groups based on time of day. Results showed that patients’ airway resistance was most prominent at noon and reached its minimum around 4:00–5:00 pm. The researchers suggested that their findings may be useful in timing exercise and in “the administration of long-acting bronchodilators.”