Excersise before bed?

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FloraDelirus
FloraDelirus Posts: 44 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it healthy or ok to excersise before bed - basically it's the last thing you do in the day before you head off to sleep?

If not, why?
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Replies

  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    It wakes up my body and I can't sleep if I exercise before bed. I know some people for who it is exactly opposite and tires them down so they can sleep better. So it's up to you. If you can pull it off go for it. As far as health goes there are no any health benefits or anything bad. Whatever you like.
  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
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    If you are going to do that, exercise at least 2 hours before bed time. Some people get too wired to sleep right away.
  • DarcG
    DarcG Posts: 50 Member
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    i think it is fine. I know you can not eat before bed because it sits there, but fitness before i think would be excellent because you are going to sleep with your body flowing. however. because your body is running high and your heart rate is up. it may be harder to sleep.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    If you exercise right before you plan on going to sleep, it can mess with the quality of your sleep. And getting enough sleep is just as important to your health/weight loss as eating right and being active. Apparently this has something to do with not only having just raised your heart rate/stimulated muscles but due to raising body temperature. This theory makes sense to me because in the summer when it's really hot out, I don't sleep well at all.

    2-3 hours before bed might be a better time.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    I do my weights about 2 hours before I go to bed. No issues.
  • jess_9981
    jess_9981 Posts: 42 Member
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    I don't think its bad for you. I'm not an expert but I typically do that because that is the time I can squeeze it in. BUT I do get wired up and it is hard for me to sleep. I've been wanting to change it around and exercise in the morning, but I am too tired to get up bc I can't sleep at night. Imma get one day......LOL! Whatever works best for you......Good luck!
  • mikkey
    mikkey Posts: 24 Member
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    I just did 1 hour of cardio and then went to bed within 10 minutes. Figured it was better to work out late than never! I've actually never fallen asleep faster!
  • amcook4
    amcook4 Posts: 561 Member
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    If it works for you keep it up! I've recently started working out in the evenings (because I'm not a morning person) and it has helped me sleep, but i know this is not what works for a lot of people.
  • maz504
    maz504 Posts: 450
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    My individual experience with doing cardio right before bed is that it kind of wakes me up and I don't sleep as well. Usually if I work out in the evenings I do it around 6 or 7 and I'm fine.
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 851 Member
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    I love exercising before bed. I usually only need about 30 min after I'm done working out and I can't keep my eyes open.
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    i think it is fine. I know you can not eat before bed because it sits there, but fitness before i think would be excellent because you are going to sleep with your body flowing. however. because your body is running high and your heart rate is up. it may be harder to sleep.

    Wrong. It won't "sit there" it'll digest and your body will use it the same way it uses food you eat at any other time of day.

    Twice a week I exercise within an hour and a half of going to bed (and then have dinner afterwards) and haven't had any problems (from either). But I think if I were to exercise literally right before bed I may not fall asleep very easily. Give it a try and see what works for you! :)
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    Is it healthy or ok to excersise before bed - basically it's the last thing you do in the day before you head off to sleep?

    If not, why?
    Sure. Nothing wrong with it at all.

    but as others state...you may start to find it harder to fall asleep.
    Early on, exercise can make you exhausted afterwards and make you fall alseep right away, but after awhile it starts to energize you so at some point it may become an issue.

    I still like to go for a run in th elate evening, shower and hit the hay for the night.
  • FloraDelirus
    FloraDelirus Posts: 44 Member
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    Thank you ALL for your words of advice and wisdom as well as experience! WOW, you guys are awesome.

    Yes, it'll have to be something to try to see what it does. Usually when I do a workout mid-day, I don't feel much different (or I don't notice much).

    The workout I would be looking at doing would be DDP Yoga. So a bit of resistance training/cardio and Yoga all at once with a cooldown at the end.

    Guess I won't know till I see how it affects me.

    I just find I have so much going on during the daylight hours (gardening/house painting/repairs, etc) that to try and take time to do excersise right after I get home is 'burning daylight' as the saying goes.

    Better to excersise than not at all!

    Again, thank you for your responses!
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    Is it healthy or ok to excersise before bed - basically it's the last thing you do in the day before you head off to sleep?

    If not, why?

    I love doing strength training right before going to bed. It knocks me out and I sleep great.

    Cardio work - especially if working higher heart rate zones does the opposite and wakes me up. So I reserve that for earlier so I can wind down for a couple of hours afterwards.
  • jeeves_17
    jeeves_17 Posts: 7 Member
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    Just like a few of the replies, I too can't workout too close to heading to bed. Feels like my body gets woken up and I'm up for an additional 3-4 hrs. Usually aim for 3-4 hrs before heading to bed as a result.
  • whynotmaria
    whynotmaria Posts: 1
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    The studies on this are kind of inconclusive, a recent one i read said it wasn't a problem. For me personally its fine, but i have always been used to training in the evening and yeah sometimes as the last think before bed (-shower).
  • Kita328
    Kita328 Posts: 370 Member
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    I am someone who wakes up when I work out, but my schedule only allows workouts at night. I try and workout a few hours before bed and I still need to take Melatonin to help myself relax for bed. It really helps me out.
  • MomTo3Lovez
    MomTo3Lovez Posts: 800 Member
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    I have never tried working out right before bed as I am afraid it will keep me up longer then I need to be...but if it works for you then go ahead, doesn't matter when you do it as long as it gets done.
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
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    It wakes up my body and I can't sleep if I exercise before bed. I know some people for who it is exactly opposite and tires them down so they can sleep better. So it's up to you. If you can pull it off go for it. As far as health goes there are no any health benefits or anything bad. Whatever you like.
    ^yep
    I like to go to bed about 10, asleep by 10:30. When I end up having to work out late, finishing up at 9 or later it's usually after 11 before I can fall asleep.
  • hoyalawya2003
    hoyalawya2003 Posts: 631 Member
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    I am someone who wakes up when I work out, but my schedule only allows workouts at night. I try and workout a few hours before bed and I still need to take Melatonin to help myself relax for bed. It really helps me out.

    Ditto the melatonin. Although I think my body is getting used to evening workouts and I am needing it less. Or I am just super tired now.

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