The Influence of Late-Night Workouts on Sleep
Late-night workouts have become increasingly popular in recent years. While physical exercise helps maintain a healthy lifestyle, it can also have a negative impact on your sleep. Working out late at night can affect your body’s natural sleep/wake cycle, causing you to be more tired and struggle to sleep.
Late-night workouts can also have negative mental implications. When done just before you go to sleep it can make it difficult to settle down, which may leave you feeling irritable or anxious. Prolonged disruption to your body’s circadian rhythm can lead to poorer sleep quality.
However, when done responsibly, late-night workouts can also have beneficial effects. Improved sleep quality has been linked to regular physical exercise. Following a moderate workout, a higher amount of slow-wave sleep can be achieved, leading to improved levels of concentration and overall wellbeing.
Benefits of Late-Night Exercise
Performing low intensity exercise near bedtime, such as yoga, stretching and light aerobic exercises, can improve sleep quality in the long-term. Higher intensity exercise should be avoided as it can produce the stress hormone cortisol. Though it is beneficial during exercise, it can make it more difficult to calm down and fall asleep.
Certain activities, like weight-lifting, can actually help to improve your natural sleep/wake cycle. It can also improve the overall quality of your activities during the day, as well as increase the quality of your sleep. People who exercise regularly tend to have higher levels of self-esteem and experience fewer instances of depression or anxiety.
Things to Avoid
Avoid eating right before bedtime, as this can lead to indigestion, which can make sleep difficult. Caffeine and other stimulants should also be avoided. These can disrupt your sleep, sometimes lasting for hours after ingestion. Shift work is another factor that should be considered, as those working in certain professions may find it difficult to adjust to late-night workouts.
Things to Consider
- Choose low-intensity exercise like walking or yoga.
- If possible, mix up your exercise routine to keep things interesting.
- Make sure to give yourself time to cool down and relax before bed.
- Avoid eating or drinking stimulants before attempting to sleep.
- Listen to your body and make sure to get an adequate amount of rest.
Conclusion
Late-night workouts should be done carefully and be tailored to individual needs. Even so, the potential benefits of exercise at any time of the day should not be ignored. The key is to find the balance between being active and allowing yourself to get the proper amount of rest, in order for your overall wellbeing to improve.