Working out at night
Shetchncn1
Posts: 260 Member
I like to work out first thing in the morning but in reality I have to work it in when it works in. So it has come down to kicking myself awake earlier or working out later. Earlier being 4:30 and I am such a putz that it is more of an idea at the moment. For those of you who work out later in the day even after dinner time - do you find that the effects are the same and/or do you have a hard time winding down for bed afterwards? Just asking - I know everyone has different effects- just trying to see what you guys think.
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If I do cardio later than 8pm, I am wide awake for longer than usual - but when I do weights I fall asleep easily at the normal time....0
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My two problems with working out late:
I can't workout within three hours of eating a meal or I have terrible heartburn and want to vomit. So if I'm waiting until 6:30 or later to workout then I'm going an incredible stretch between lunch and dinner
Or I work out later than 7 I am super wound up and can't sleep at all. I had a week of working out at 9 every night and I didn't sleep a week and got burned out.0 -
I agree with what other people have said.
Doing cardio within a few hours of bedtime gets me too amped up, but lifting weights exhausts me.
As a side note, the "next day burn" from lifting seems less irritating for me if I lift in the morning.0 -
I work out as soon as I get home from work. It helps work off tension from the day, I have more energy in the evening than in the morning, and it's early enough that it doesn't interfere with my sleep or dinner (I eat after I work out).0
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i usually hit the gym for weights around 8 pm, no issues. sometimes i dont want to go, but usually after i get there it might as well be 5pm (prime time for me to workout).0
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I also work out right after work. I agree with previous poster who says it helps work off the stress of the day. I'm a night owl, so this sort of activity timing works for me. It doesn't interfere with my sleep or dinner or anything. In fact, I think I probably sleep better on those days because I'm more physically tired.0
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I work out around 8:30-once my kids are in bed. It doesn't seem to effect my sleeping pattern or anything. I hop in the shower for a quick rinse and then am usually ready for lounge time and then bed.0
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I work out a couple of hours after my evening meal, usually around 8 or 9 pm. I'm not a morning person so it works out best for me and hasn't affected my sleep, actually I sleep better when I've been out for a run.0
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i do cardio and weights usually the same night and i usually go after 8pm and i have no issues i got home and sleep good.0
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I havent had any issues working out at night. I get off work at 6pm, dinner at 630 and gym at 715 for weights are cardio. I am usually in bed by 1030, 11 at the latest.0
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I work out in the evening. I have a light snack beforehand and dinner when I get back home. If I eat a full meal before working out I get ill.0
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I hit the gym around 6 in the evening on lifting nights and eat dinner afterwards. I haven't had any issues.0
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I go whenever I can, sometimes I wait for my wife, other times I dont. I prefer the mornings on the weekends, but during the work week its frequently 6:30 or later. I have been as late as 10:30, still sleep like a baby. The point is go whenever you can, no matter what time. At least it is something, and something is better than nothing.0
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I workout 5 days per week with a 7:30 or 8 PM start, go for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, then in bed, lights out by 10 PM to get my 8 in before starting all over again. It beats getting up at 4:30 or 5 AM to workout. I've done both and prefer the later in the day sessions, but I will do early morning if no other time is going to be available. I haven't noticed any issues with my sleep being messed up with doing either aerobic or resistance training after dinner (5:30 PM). I'm thinking that some of the more intense forms of exercise, like High Intensity Interval Training, might have an impact on your sleep/ability to fall asleep afterwards. I'd try to avoid those before bedtime.0
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Everyone is different. I think you should try it and see if it works for you. Good luck.
My life is now structured so that working out at 8:30 or even 9 PM works best for me. I would rather do it in the morning, but circumstances and laziness make it easier to do it at night than to get up early. Regardless of whether it's cardio or weights, it tires me out. After a shower and drying my hair, I just want to go to sleep.
I wish you the best in finding the right schedule for you.0 -
My main work out is at night at either 7 PM, 7:30 PM or sometimes around 6 PM. I definitely have more energy and get to bed later than I used too and I can't eat a meal before the workout either. I've learned to have my afternoon snack at like 4 or 4:30 in the afternoon, like a yogurt or something. That way it holds me over and gives me a little energy boost for the workout. I eat dinner shortly after my work out so that my body can restore, refresh, refuel, etc. and then go to bed about an hour or two later. So far this routine has worked for me pretty well.
I also do a quick 15 or 20 on the elliptical first thing out of bed as a way to really wake up and get my system going. I also hit the fitness center at my work in the afternoon for some cardio.0 -
I also work out right after work. I agree with previous poster who says it helps work off the stress of the day. I'm a night owl, so this sort of activity timing works for me. It doesn't interfere with my sleep or dinner or anything. In fact, I think I probably sleep better on those days because I'm more physically tired.
I agree. I workout from 5:15 - 6:15 daily, so I'm typically home by 7:00 - eating is the first thing I want to do! I do little things around the house and maybe watch a bit of TV, but by 10:00 pm I'm ready for bed and I sleep like a baby. I have gone to the gym later in the evening and like others have said, I find it hard to fall asleep. I am not a morning person, so early evening workouts are best for me - and I love that I can kick and punch away all the stress from the day!0 -
It has been working for me.0
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If I had to work out in the morning I'd never work out. I have tried and failed miserably to get my butt out of bed early enough to work out in the morning. That said - I LOVE working out after I get home from work (between 5-6pm). I do not allow myself to get in the house and sit down, I put on my workout clothes and get to it right away (I workout from home, running, Insanity and biking). I haven't found this to interfere with my evening energy or ability to sleep - most of the time I exhaust myself pretty well with my work out that after my shower and eating I'm good and relaxed/stress free for the evening.
Give it a try! What have you got to lose?0 -
Doesn't make it harder to get to sleep got me.
Have had cases of going for an hour run with dogs at might! (I'm great at procrastination, me - but does mean nice clear trails with no worries of coming up to other people out with dogs etc
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Also had cases where I've been finishing off my weights at a similar time or doing half an hour on the punch bag to make my calories up.0 -
I'm not a morning person, so late afternoon works best for me. I love to workout at 4:30...it gives me a second wind. I get home and have the energy needed to take care of dinner, kids, homework, etc...0
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I really don't like night workouts. I ride that runner's high for way too long and it's a miracle if I get to bed before midnight. As opposed to the others that said lifting makes them sleepy, I am just the opposite! I hate (and I mean HAAAAATE) getting up ridiculously early for a workout, but I find that it wakes me up more and I have energy throughout the whole day instead of wanting to take a nap by noon!0
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If I had to work out in the morning I'd never work out. I have tried and failed miserably to get my butt out of bed early enough to work out in the morning. That said - I LOVE working out after I get home from work (between 5-6pm). I do not allow myself to get in the house and sit down, I put on my workout clothes and get to it right away (I workout from home, running, Insanity and biking). I haven't found this to interfere with my evening energy or ability to sleep - most of the time I exhaust myself pretty well with my work out that after my shower and eating I'm good and relaxed/stress free for the evening.
Give it a try! What have you got to lose?
This is pretty much me too, except I go to the gym straight from work. I've found that if I work out at night then I eat dinner later and am less likely to want to snack. Plus I HATE getting up early and when I tried the effort I put into it was not worth waking up early.0 -
Over my lifetime I have worked out at all hours - early morning just after rising, immediately after getting off work, late night just before bed, on my lunch hour, in the afternoon (when I was working nights).
What time I did the workout never made much difference. The intensity of the workout makes a lot of difference. Find the time that allows you to really give it your all.0 -
I have read that the optimum time for exercise is late afternoon. Can't site any source, search it. :bigsmile:0
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My hubby works retail, I work 8-5 every day and we have two kids = I work out when his schedule allows.
That being said when I do get to the gym, Generally 6-days a week, I do 45 mins of cardio to start and then 45-65 mins of weights (yes I'm there for 1.5+ hrs.) - when I am able to go at night I don't leave home until 8:30 and am home no later than 10:30 - and in bed by 11:30 at the latest to get up 6:30 for my day the next day.
Now IF I have to go in the morning I am up at 5:30 (ideally) and to the gym by 5:40 - and I'm only able to get 35 mins of cardio w/abt 20 mins of weights if I am lucky.
The cardio gets me pumped for weights - the weights make me tired - a warm shower brings me down even more and BAM good to roll!0 -
I cannot workout late afternoon/early evening. I'm up at 4:15 AM Monday through Friday to get my workout completed. I like having it out of the way - I know it gets done this way! By the time the end of the workday rolls around and drive an hour home w/o traffic, that's the last thing I want to do is go home and jump on the treadmill or pop in the workout video (not that I haven't but I prefer not to workout at that time of day).0
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Kudos to all of you. Thank you!0
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