Advice from people who train late in the day

Riskay123

I want to start weight training at my local gym but I am really only able to go once my partner gets home from work so he can look after our son. This means that I would be going after 7pm sometime I wouldn't be starting till close to 8pm. I am a nocturnal person so I am not worried to much about energy levels while working out but I am a little worried about winding down afterwards before going bed. I do have to be up early in the morning for work so I don't want to be tossing and turning in bed trying to wind down. What do the people who train at night do to wind down before going to bed?

CharlieBeansmomTracey

I do stretching for about 10 min after Im done. I also avoid caffeine or anything that will hype me up. I watch tv or get online and play games or just reading can relax you. Im tired by the time I go to bed though usually so for me its not a big deal.

jemhh

Take a shower and then get in bed.

William4MVP

shouldn't really affect your sleep..just relax by watching tv or something. Avoid caffeine though but I'm sure you know that.

richardgavel

I'd avoid the tv right before bed, maybe reading or listening to something.

Riskay123

Thanks for your advice everyone. Any one with other suggestions please keep posting.

I have gone and done it while I was motivated. I have just got back from the local gym and I have signed up for a personal trainer. I am going to meet with them one day a week for 12 weeks starting next week. Once they have taught me what to do I will also train by myself 2 other days of the week. On the other days I am going to run the C25K program for cardio fitness. As this is something I can also do at night with a head lamp on.

My mantra for the next 12 weeks while training is going to be. "Your over weight yes but this is only temporary, how temporary is determined by how much effort I put in. Now just start training and keep going and don't worry about other peoples opinions of me while I am jiggling".

I am going to give myself 12 weeks. I hope to keep going after that but I know if I commit to 12 weeks then I will not let myself quite before then. If I was just going on my own without any commitment then I would stop after about 2 weeks. Having to face a trainer every week and tell them how much extra I have done during the week will keep me motivated.

Chillbacca

Don't use any electronics before going to bed. The blue light that comes off tvs, phone screens, etc. Tricks your brain into thinking it's still light outside. Do something like read, or relax with some light music.

DopeItUp

It's not a big deal. I finish my training within an hour of bedtime most nights. And I use stimulant-heavy preworkout too.

pomegranatecloud

I just stretch, eat, shower, and go to bed. Exercising late at night has never kept me up.

feisty_bucket

In the same boat as some of these other folks... I can easily nap/sleep right after working out, it's no big deal. Don't think you need to worry about that.

MelodyandBarbells

I don't train as late, but it's a lot of hard work at the gym. It's all I can do to stumble back home, get some food in me, wind down a bit and go right to bed. Evening training doesn't cause any sleep issues for me at all

L_Master

Riskay123 wrote: »

What do the people who train at night do to wind down before going to bed?

Not much. Usually just a cool down, maybe read some stuff on the PC/book for 30 mins and then off to sleep.

JoRocka

I eat a giant dinner- watch TV- diddle around- usually takes me about 45 minutes to wind down.

ElizabethOakes2

My husband is a night person, too, and he has no problem going to the gym at 9 at night, and being in bed asleep by midnight. (I am a morning person. By 8:30 at night, I'm done for the day.)

djspacecaptain

dont think ive seen this mentioned but there is always sleeping pills that will take care of that problem

sijomial

I'm often leaving the gym at 10pm as that's when it shuts.
Get home, shower, make sure I'm not dehydrated if it's been a hard cardio session and that's about it.

If anything my sleep is better after late night exercise.

Riskay123

Thanks for all the advice guys. I will keep all your suggestions in mind when I start training next week.