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Important Things You Should Know If You Work Out At Night

19 July 2021

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So you work out at night (or you’re planning to start) but you’re not sure whether it’s the right thing you’re doing given how many people think that it affects your sleep.

Of course, you’re already aware that regular exercise improves your sleep quality, improves relaxation, and can reduce stress.

But even with all that, you have read and heard that working out before bed can chess away your sleep.

So you’re confused.

Should you continue working out at night or change your workout routine?

You’re on the right page.

Multiple studies have found out there working out before bedtime doesn’t compromise your sleep.

Nevertheless, you need to pay attention to the timing of your workout and do exercises that do not affect your sleep.

Keep reading as we share with you important things you should know if you work out at night.

Is Timing Important For Your Workout?

Whether the timing of workout matters or not depends on an individual.

For instance, some people may struggle to sleep after working out three to four hours before bedtime while others can sleep right after exercising.

Generally, exercising at any time will improve your sleep quality; however, certain factors such as your total sleep and wake-up time come to play.

What Studies Suggest?

In a study, 12 healthy males were asked to do various exercises for 30 minutes- either 30 minutes of moderate-intensity resistance training or aerobic exercise or no workout at all.

All the workouts were supposed to end 90 minutes before going to bed.

The participants were asked to visit a lab on three different nights.

When the participants fall asleep in the lab, their core body temperatures and sleep quality was recorded.

The results showed that those who did moderate-intensity workouts didn’t have difficulties in getting quality sleep.

In another study that involved sixteen men and women, it was established that after doing moderate-intensity workouts at different times for around 4 or 2 hours before bedtime, the participants didn’t have difficulties getting sleep.

In a nutshell, from the two studies, it’s evident that doing moderate-intensity workouts within 60 to 90 minutes before bedtime doesn’t affect your sleep quality.

Are Some Kinds of Night Workouts Better Than Others?

As seen from the studies above, not all exercises can affect your sleep.

That’s why it’s advised to choose your workout routines carefully.

It’s also advisable to decide the timing of your workouts as well.

A good rule of thumb is to do light to moderate-intensity workouts so that you don’t affect your sleep. However, you need to have one hour after working out before you hit the pillow. This allows your body to wind down.

And if you have to do hard exercises then you need to make sure you have ample time approximately 3 to 4 hours before bedtime as the increase in endorphin levels can keep you from falling asleep.

Some moderate-intensity workouts worth doing include walking, yoga, biking, stretching, etc.

Vigorous exercises to avoid before bedtime include running, heavy weightlifting, jumping rope, etc.

How Much Exercise is Good at Night?

Regular exercise improves your sleep quality. However, the recommended duration for working out at night is at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises.

A good rule of thumb is to do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity workouts each week- this is equivalent to 30 minutes of workout each day.

You may also decide to do two 15 minutes’ workouts each day, 5 days a week- this could be either in the morning and 1 hour before bedtime.

For heavy workouts, you could strive for at least 75 minutes each week. As stated above, for vigorous workouts, make sure to complete them a few hours (at least 3 hours) before bedtime.

Is Working Out At Night Right For You?

Studies have shown that working out at night (especially for light to moderate-intensity workouts) doesn’t affect your sleep.

In fact, night is the best time for people with a busy lifestyle.

But working out at night isn’t for everyone.

So, how do you tell if working out at night is right for you?

Here are several ways to determine whether working out at night is for you.

Your Body Temperature

Your body temperature can determine whether working out at night is right for you.

According to the American Council of Sports Medicine, body temperatures are high between 2 pm and 6 pm.

This is the time when muscles are stretchy, reaction time is fast, heart and blood pressure levels are low.

The best time for cardio exercises is late afternoon and early evening. For men, the best time for weight training is in the morning when testosterone levels are high.

Your Circadian Rhythms

According to Tobias Foster one of the best essay writers in essay writing service, professional paper writing services.

The body’s circadian rhythms can affect athletic performance depending on the time of day you do the exercise.

And given that each individual has different circadian rhythms, some people may find exercising at night right for them than others. Besides, circadian rhythms are controlled by certain hormones of the body and can dictate some physical and behavioral patterns such as sleep; body temperature, mood, and metabolism.

Your Own Instincts

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the timing of workouts.

For instance, some people are going to find it right to exercise in the morning while others will get better results when they exercise at night.

Generally, your instincts can determine the best time for working out.

Experiment

You could also experiment with different exercises, timings, and intensity to find out which one is right for you.

When exercising, record the results then adjust your habits.

Dos and Don’ts of Working Out at Night

With crazy work schedules and many other things, it can be difficult to carve out some time for working out during the week.

But exercising regularly is essential for your overall wellbeing.

That’s why many people opt to work out at night.

Unfortunately, as stated above, some workouts may or may not affect your sleep.

For night owls, working out at night works best for them as that the time when their energy is at the peak, said John O. from best essay writing services uk.

To make sure your workout routine doesn’t affect your sleep, here are the dos and don’ts to observe.

Don’t work out near bedtime

Even if you decide to work out at night, ensure you get the recommended sleep time of at least 7 to 8 hours.

This helps your body to refresh and balance essential hormones.

Remember that working out involves your physical and mental health. So you need to give your body enough time to refresh and reenergize after working out.

Do Shower After Working Out

Perhaps you shouldn’t be reminded about this it’s important to rinse off the sweat after working out.

Some people find taking a hot shower makes them awake at night so you may want to take a cold shower.

The good thing about a hot shower is that it relaxes your muscles and calms your body so you can get super deep sleep.

A cool shower, on the other hand, helps to bring down your body temperature.

Do Stretch Your Body

Stretching is a workout on its own. But you mustn’t skip stretching as it helps your body to recover.

Besides, it may help to make you fell asleep.

Stretching is also important for your muscles. Therefore, whether you have the time or not, make sure you give yourself some time for stretching after working out.

Of course, stretching doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be giving yourself a massage or doing yoga possess. A percussion massage would be good as not only it will help with the stretching, it’ll also work as a post workout recovery massage that will be helpful for your muscles, preventing any possible damage to them and resulting in a better and faster post workout recovery. This kind of massage can be done by using a massage gun such as Exogun DreamPro. Exogun is used and trusted by the pro athletes and delivers the ultimate recovery.

Don’t Forget to Eat

Your appetite may not increase at first when you start exercising; however, to repair damaged muscles, you need to eat some complex carbs, protein, and healthy fat.

If your muscles don’t repair after working out then you’d better stay without doing it.

Speaking of eating, you don’t need to eat as if you’re going to die the next day. You also don’t need to eat foods that are going to lead to digestive stress. Eat something small.

Working Out at Night: FAQs

Below, we answer some frequently asked questions about working out at night.

Is it healthy to work out at night?

Traditionally, working out at night is said to affect your sleep; however, multiple studies have shown that working out at night is healthy as long as you don’t do vigorous exercises.

You can do light to moderate-intensity workouts then make sure you have at least 2 hours for relaxing your body before bedtime.