Exercise at Night

jeremyw1977

I'd like some advice about exercising at night.
I've read that exercising within four hours of bedtime can cause restless sleep, but I have also read other articles that state that this is a myth.

What is the truth? What have you all experienced?
For example, I typically start a workout at 8:30-9:00pm and finish it at 9:30-10:00pm, and I am usually in bed by 11:00pm. I never have any problems falling asleep, but my wife says that she sometimes deals with me tossing and turning.......but that the tossing and turning typically doesn't start until around 3:00-4:00am

Of course, I have tossed and turned on nights when I didn't exercise, and didn't toss and turn on nights when I did.......so perhaps if it's not the exercise, I may have another health issue which I should investigate.

As another FYI, I have tried melatonin, which doesn't do too much for this restlessness. and my last dose of anything caffeine related is a 12oz. can of Diet Coke with dinner (at around 6:00-6:30pm).

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

kelp99

I like to sleep in so I usually exercise when I get home from work - at 3:00am. I exercise right away and then relax after that and Bedtime is at 5:00am. I'm usually tired after exercising anyway so it works out and I actually sleep better.

ndj1979

not sure..

i work out right after work..usually 5 to 6:30 pm...

jfan175

I'm pretty much on the same workout and sleep schedule as you are, and I sleep well. I think if it were exercise related, you'd have trouble early, not late. Maybe you have a case of restless leg syndrome?

bowlinbabe8121

I work nights so I usually work out right when I get out of work and then relax a little before bed, most of the time. And I dont have any problems sleeping most of the time.

Mr_Bad_Example

I've worked out as late as 11 p.m. and never had any trouble sleeping. But if I could figure out a way to work out WHILE sleeping, well, I would pretty much win at life.

schaapj2

I've found myself a little more restless on occasion. It usually takes me a little longer to get to sleep, but once asleep, I sleep like the dead. So hard in fact I'll wake up and find myself contorted in all sorts of odd positions. This could be from the exercising, but it could also be bc I usually eat when I get home after exercising too. I exercise 8:15-9:30 pm 6 days a week and burn so many calories I usually eat something so my deficit isnt so large. But I haven't had any major problems. If you do, may I suggest melatonin. Works like a charm!

Warchortle

I can exercise as long as I don't take a preworkout and fall asleep.

georgina1970

If I exercise late in the afternoon I'm definitely more alert in the evening and tend to stay up later (usually an hour or two.)

With caffiene, if you consider that it takes 10hrs for the caffiene in one cup coffee to be excreted from your body, then having more than 2servings/day will mean caffiene is always in your body. If I drink a caffinated drink after 2pm it effects my ability to get to sleep, then I tend to wake frequently during the night.

Maybe try cutting back and see how it goes. If you drink a lot of caffinated drinks each day, by prepared for withdrawal symptoms such as headaches. Increasing water intake will help too.

gabesgourmet

I've been working out in the middle of the night: 11:30, midnight etc. I have two children and they have to be down and everything done before I workout...I have NO problem going to sleep, in fact I think it helps my sleep!! I switched things up and worked out this morning, and I know I will be passing out shortly!!! So, no I have no issues with working out at night!

Eclectictaste

For me, it depends on the workout. Cardio (running, biking, stairmaster, etc.) and I'm hyped up and wide awake for hours. Lift weights (all out effort) and I'm out like a light.

I turn this to my advantage and do cardio in the morning, weights in the evening.

malawi447

I'd like some advice about exercising at night.
I've read that exercising within four hours of bedtime can cause restless sleep, but I have also read other articles that state that this is a myth.

What is the truth? What have you all experienced?
For example, I typically start a workout at 8:30-9:00pm and finish it at 9:30-10:00pm, and I am usually in bed by 11:00pm. I never have any problems falling asleep, but my wife says that she sometimes deals with me tossing and turning.......but that the tossing and turning typically doesn't start until around 3:00-4:00am

Of course, I have tossed and turned on nights when I didn't exercise, and didn't toss and turn on nights when I did.......so perhaps if it's not the exercise, I may have another health issue which I should investigate.

As another FYI, I have tried melatonin, which doesn't do too much for this restlessness. and my last dose of anything caffeine related is a 12oz. can of Diet Coke with dinner (at around 6:00-6:30pm).

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

I frequently workout at 11p.m. and sometimes well past midnight. My biggest issue is that I don't always get enough sleep when I exercise at night. I don't have much time to workout during the day, and I also don't want to be too sleep deprived, so it always seems like I am missing out on one or the other.

When it comes to falling asleep and staying asleep though, I have no problems at all. I think it depends on the person. Those who have trouble exercising too closely to bed time may have more problems actually falling asleep than staying asleep, since the effects of exercise are most stimulating to your nervous system in the couple of hours following a workout, but that is just my hypothetical reasoning.

I have also read that it is a good idea to avoid caffeine after 4p.m. because it stays in your system for hours, but that is probably relative to your work / sleep schedule and how sensitive you are to the effects of caffeine.

Another person commented on restless legs syndrome, which is something I suffer from. I would look into that if you have any of the symptoms of RLS because it is very difficult to sleep soundly when you feel like there are creepy crawlies in your legs. I even get the effects throughout my entire body, and it is so hard to relax!

gerard54

Take a cold.shower after...

VeeBethTris

I don't normally workout at night but had such a busy day helping my daughter with her new house I didn't get on the treadmill till 10:30. I figured I would relax from 11:30 when I was done till about midnight and hit the sheets. LOLOL well here it is 1:15 am and I am wide awake. My alarm goes off at 6:30 so I hope I sleep soon. It could be just a coincidence that I can't sleep after the late night workout but I would be reluctant to try it again. Best of luck to you....

angelaanhela

I tend to only have the motivation to work out at night. I have worked out anywhere from 11pm-2am and afterward I also go straight to take a shower, then to bed. I find that I go to bed a lot easier and faster and I tend to feel more rested (or is that just feeling healthier?). This works for me but it doesn't work for others.

Everyone has different reactions to work outs and the way that they sleep. If it hasn't bothered you yet, then it probably wont and all those articles are based off of the people who it doesn't tend to work for.

matt2442

sometimes but I toss and turn more when I dont work out because i am not tired at all. It could affect it because you are pumped up so it could be hard to settle down, but everyone is different

JTKross

It's all about what kind of schedule your body is on.
I work a lot of Seconds 330 pm - 1200 am and a third here and there.
So I start my workouts anywhere from 10 pm to 1 am, depending on my work schedule.
I throw on the headphones listen to a podcast and hit the cardio and weights.
I never have problems sleeping but my body is very used to that schedule.
When you get home relax maybe have a cup of tea ( Celestial sleepytime ) shower and hit the Zzzz's.



Hope I helped .....

shanteel612

i usually fall asleep easily but when i do a rigorous workout late at night i find it difficult to fall asleep.

SnazzyTraveller

I just ran from 1-2am....... I feel tired so I think I'll sleep well.

RunDoozer

I work out from 11pm - 2 am... it's easier for me to get to sleep after. But I lift not cardio don't know if that makes a difference.

Goodbye_Thunder_Thighs

I workout anywhere from 9pm to 3am (usually 9pm-11pm on weekdays, 1-3am weekends) depending on when my kids are asleep and husband home. I come home shower and asleep 10 minutes after climbing into bed. If I take a night off from the gym I can't sleep I toss and turn for hours. The husband says I'm restless around 5am but I just assume that's because my body is use to hearing him get up for work (I use to have to drive him at that time)

jeremyw1977

Thank you all. You have all given me some insightful information.
Looks like I might do a few experiments over the next week to maybe see if I can find the one true culprit.

bpwparents

I exercise at the exact same schedule as you. I actually sleep better doing it that way.

jebreject

I wouldn't drink caffeine that late in the day.

UsedToBeHusky

In my experience, exercise at any time of the day helps you sleep better. Melatonin is only a sleep aid in that it helps you fall asleep. It really doesn't have an impact on the quality of that sleep.

I don't really have any advice other than to try changing it up and see if it makes a difference. I toss and turn, but I've always tossed and turned. Rarely, do I wake up in the same place I started. I really didn't think that meant a poor quality sleep unless it's accompanied with actual waking up.

BflSaberfan

I have the same problem I am limited to when I can work out and it usually ends up being around 9 at night. I fall asleep okay but I am waking throughout the night. Not sure what to do about it either.

BECav0602

Try not drinking any caffeine after lunch. I never thought that was the issue until I tried it and I sleep much better now.

skylark94

I've never had any problems sleeping after a nighttime workout (I used to love running in the dark)

This article ran in USA Today a few days ago.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/04/sleep-survey-exercise-insomnia/1955117/