Time of day for cardio and strength to ensure best sleep/energy levels?

NotJustADieter

I'm a chronic insomniac. Yes I've tried everything, my doc has me on a super aggressive cocktail that sort of helps. Not the point of this post.

I've taken a new job, which will allow me to get in 2 workouts a day. My concern is how to spread them out in order to make sure I'll still sleep at night and not be tired during the day. I do spin and lift- so what time of day do you find is best for cardio, and what tine for strength?

megansayssup

I know a lot of people say that exercising later in the night is bad for sleep schedule; however, I find that I feel restless in bed unless I work out around 7-7:30 pm. So it's really up to you! Why don't you try working out once in the morning, and the next day at night, and see what works best for you!

yesimpson

I find that any exercise during the day will help me to sleep better at night, but then I do not suffer from insomnia. I favour early morning for cardio and sometimes like to swim or do strength exercises in the evening, but if that meant disrupting a time when you are naturally more restful and might hinder your chances of sleeping I wouldn't do it.

I think you need to experiment and see what works for you. Maybe try spinning in the morning and lifting in the evening for a fortnight, and if it causes issues try reversing that.

jacksonpt

It doesn't matter.

robininfl

I find that exercise at any time of day helps me sleep - in the morning it helps wake me up, in the evening it wears me out so I can sleep. But I wanted to put a plug in here for Yin Yoga as a sleep aid - this is the only exercise that really makes me so drowsy I can't do it at the studio because I don't want to drive home later.

Does exercise in the afternoon leave you tired, or energized? I would use that as a guide for when you should exercise.

Also all the standard stuff - no electronic devices in the bedroom, bed only for sex and sleep, schedule, getting up if you wake up early in the morning...But really, look up Yin Yoga. If you were doing an evening workout and need it to be your actual workout, do running or lifting or what have you first, then shower but before getting in bed do a few of these poses, you hold each one for up to 5 minutes, this causes your muscles to let go, which can help your mind let go.

Good luck, insomnia is brutal, sleep is so important to health, I hope you can find it.

Oh - and personally I'd do running in the morning, and lifting then the yin stretching in the evening, because running wakes me up and I am stronger in the afternoon/evening so weight workouts are more productive at later hours.