Previously it was thought that exercising in the evening had a detrimental impact on the ability to sleep. From the stimulating impact of raised heart rate and core temperature to the residual muscle soreness, evening exercise has never had a great reputation for its impact on sleep.
However, studies show that evening exercise actually doesn’t have as much of a detrimental impact on sleep as we previously thought. In fact, the opposite can often be true. A group of Swiss researchers looked through the results of 23 studies based on the effect of a single session of evening exercise on sleep. The most common forms of exercise in these studies were running and cycling, with subjects working up a sweat for an average of 87 minutes between 12 minutes to 4 hours before bed.
The results found that evening exercise did not have a detrimental impact on sleep. There was some impact on the time it takes to get to sleep, but in all an evening workout wasn’t as bad as we had previously thought.
But before you start pulling an intense cardio session before you hit the hay, it’s worth remembering that these studies still leave a lot of unanswered questions. The best way to work out what is right for you is to monitor the quality of your sleep after an evening workout. You can then tailor your exercise to suit the needs of your sleep pattern. For example, you might want to switch to yoga instead of spinning to wind down before bed while still getting your exercise. Just remember that exercise is a sleep aid, not a deterrent, so use your common sense and keep getting plenty of shut-eye.
If you would like to find out more about how a REM-Fit Mattress, REM-Fit Sleep Monitoring technology or Zeeq Smart Pillows can help you to get a better night’s rest, please get in touch with our experienced, knowledgeable staff by calling 020 8731 0020 or email us via sales@rem-fit.co.uk.
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Is Your Sleep Disrupted by Evening Workouts?
When it comes to our health, getting enough sleep is as important as eating properly and exercising. But with more than a third of the UK population experiencing trouble with getting to sleep it can sometimes be a battle to get the balance right.
Fatigue from restless nights, working shift patterns and jetlag can lead to an inability to keep up a regular workout routine. This lack of exercise in turn impacts on the ability to sleep properly and a vicious cycle occurs. This is because physical activity is proven to have a positive impact on sleep, promoting sleep efficiency and reducing the time it takes to get to sleep.
So, what happens when we work out in the evening?
