exercising late at night

abecker84
abecker84 Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
what are peopled thoughts on this, i work full time and don't have time to do the gym before i go to work, and i was thinking off going to the gym after dinner once my daughter is in bed (her dad will be there to look after her), is there any negative effect???
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Replies

  • tiffanyjc12
    tiffanyjc12 Posts: 5
    I do the same thing, and the only negative effect I have is that it's very hard to go to sleep at night. I lay awake for way longer than I should. I would like to get up early and workout before work, but it's so hard to make myself get out of bed!
  • silentver
    silentver Posts: 8
    according to my doctor some people will have a hard time sleeping afterwards....try it and see.
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
    I don't think so. I usually pop in an exercise DVD or hot on my treadmill after the kids go to bed around 9 pm. It's better than sitting around watching tv and snacking. Some people might say it makes it difficult to sleep if you exercise close to your own bedtime, but I find I fall asleep and sleep fine.
  • jkbear40
    jkbear40 Posts: 37 Member
    I don't think it matters personally. There are a lot of people who can only go in the evenings. Better than nothing at all.
  • blkpag1
    blkpag1 Posts: 34 Member
    As long as you have no problems getting to sleep after a workout, you should be good. I work out at night and have found that I need about an hour to unwind after my workout or I have problems falling asleep.
  • calewis17
    calewis17 Posts: 9
    I do Leslie Sansone's 3 mile videos 4 or 5 times/wk & usually can't start them before 9:30pm. At first it was hard for me to go to bed because I wasn't sleepy, but now I usually go to bed about 30 minutes after finishing the video and shower. I usually sleep pretty good.
  • yasminchy
    yasminchy Posts: 26 Member
    After 4 years of late nights work outs, I sleep like a baby :) I even get on eliptical trainer at midnight if I don't have time during the day. Works for me.
  • otrlynn
    otrlynn Posts: 273 Member
    The best time to exercise is the time that you will be able to follow-through and do it! The only negatives that I can think of are that you won't want to exercise too close to a large meal (you will feel very uncomfortable), and exercising too late in the evening keeps some people from being able to fall asleep for awhile. Go for it, and see how you feel.
  • HealthWoke0ish
    HealthWoke0ish Posts: 2,078 Member
    I work a lot and often don't get a spare moment from the time I arrive at work (around 7am) to the time my responsibilities are done (around 11pm). If I can manage, I wake up earlier to work out...but I often find myself working out late at night. For me, the drawbacks have been 1) I'm kinda tired already so I often don't put as much effort into the late-night workouts as I do into the early morning workouts, and 2) once I've worked out, I'm all pumped up and have a hard time falling asleep.

    Of course, for me, those two drawbacks are worth the trouble since it means that I actually got to work out that day and inch a little closer to my fitness goals. :)

    So to more clearly answer your question re: negative affects. No, I don't consider any of the effects negative. I just consider the one effect--a more fit me--a positive. :)

    Good luck to you! :)
  • o2bADyer
    o2bADyer Posts: 208
    Going after work is my routine as well. The normal time for me to arrive at the gym is around 9:30 p.m. If my workout is significant, I'm physically worn out and sleep quite well. My physician said that this is good for those who can't sleep too. Getting to the gym is important, so you'll find a way to make it work. :wink:
  • jannessy
    jannessy Posts: 23 Member
    yea i get off from work at 11 pm work out for about and hr then shower and sleep doesnt effect me
  • SleeplessinBerlin
    SleeplessinBerlin Posts: 513 Member
    I've been known to work out at 11pm or midnight. It can be hard to find the motivation to start but once I do, it's okay. I don't have any problems with falling asleep later (I know my user name suggests otherwise ;) )

    On the other hand it would be impossible for me to get up an hour earlier to do a workout.
  • JHarr454
    JHarr454 Posts: 50 Member
    I work out late at night, and I can usually get to sleep.
  • whitnapkin
    whitnapkin Posts: 15
    I always work out late at night. Many people say that they cannot sleep, but I have the opposite happen to me. After a nice hard workout, I take a hot shower and crawl into bed, after a long day at work, making dinner, paying bills, preparing for an upcoming wedding, and a good workout, I fall asleep pretty much the second I hit my pillow.. the best part? 9 times out of 10 I wake up early and refreshed. :)
  • dlegros
    dlegros Posts: 162 Member
    Exercise is a very personal thing... Whatever works for you - works.
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
    I go for an hour walk at 9 PM. I like it because I always feel heavy after dinner and a walk helps that. It also makes me tired for bed.
  • Lifting_Knitter
    Lifting_Knitter Posts: 1,025 Member
    I usually start my workout at 10/10:30. I have the choice of working out early in the morning or at night and choose late at night. It helps me get tired enough to sleep. :smile:
  • new_bella
    new_bella Posts: 199 Member
    I think it depends on the person and/or workout. I usually go for a 45 min walk around 10pm and find that it doesn't really affect my sleep much. However when I do laps at the Olympic pool in the evenings (between 9pm-11pm) I fall asleep much faster.
  • TheShrinkingKween
    TheShrinkingKween Posts: 91 Member
    Our local gym has 24 hour access, and I usually go no earlier than 9:30. I like going when it's quiet, very few folks there, and I can do what I came to do without waiting on machines or anything. I don't know about other folks, but I sleep like a log after. I usually workout for about an hour and a half, go home and have a protein smoothie, quick shower (or sometimes a hot bath), and straight to bed! I have trouble falling asleep when I DON'T work out at night!
  • trixchialoveskimchi6
    trixchialoveskimchi6 Posts: 30 Member
    my mom scolds me for working out at night.so happy to see your opinions at least 'm not alone. she is so old fashioned...
  • maasha81
    maasha81 Posts: 733 Member
    I work out at 9pm when my toddler is asleep. By the time I'm finished, I'm drained so after a hot shower; I hit the bed. I get the best sleep ever. It works for me :)
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I work out from 8 PM-11 PM typically... only side affects I have been suffering are kicking *kitten* and being fabulous.
  • shutterbug282
    shutterbug282 Posts: 588 Member
    I workout at night, and haven't had a problem sleeping at all. :) If it's the only time you can workout, then do what's right for you. :)
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
    I work out at 8pm most nights...its the only time I get due to working full time and having two little ones!
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
    lol!
  • melindafritz1976
    melindafritz1976 Posts: 329 Member
    i do it all the time
  • amymt10
    amymt10 Posts: 271 Member
    I work full time as well and have 2 young boys. I go to the gym at work and do my cardio for about 45 min then after the kids are in bed I do my weights. That's the only way I have time to do it. So I'm working out around 8/830pm. I hate that my workout is split up like that but with my schedule its the only way to work it in w/o staying up til 10. I dont have a problem going to sleep. I usually read for about 1/2 hr after my workout & shower. That's how i unwind.
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 842 Member
    I love it I typically don't hit the gym till after 8 p.m. it lets me take out all of my frustrations from the day.
  • tropicaltiger
    tropicaltiger Posts: 254
    I always workout at night-the latest I workout is around 10pm at gym I have done cardio weights-its to each their own-I have done that since day 1-sometimes I workout after 5pm- sometime in afternoon-but I mostly have workout at night-now that I am taking zumba also the classes are not till 7;30 to 8;30 pm-so good luck on your nightly workout
  • LosingExtraKristy
    LosingExtraKristy Posts: 164 Member
    I've gone both ways on sleep trouble. I think I go to sleep better after a nice shower.

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