Nightmares after exercise

saraholiviacuomo
saraholiviacuomo Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Chit-Chat
I know this might be a dumb question, but is anyone else experiencing nightmares after exercising that day?

I've started and 8 week program and have been lifting a lot of weights. I've just started my second week and I've noticed since ive started that I have been having nightmares on days I lift the most.

Most of them involve me running away from someome who is trying to kill me (run me down in a car, stab me, shoot me...you name it). Really scary stuff. I will wake up with my heart racing and that "ugh" feeling in the pit of my stomach. Also feeling really anxious and paranoid once i wake up and I find it really hard to get back to sleep (usually right back into a nightmare again).

I workout somewhere between 3pm-6pm most days, hardly ever after 5pm though. I won't go to bed until 11pm or so and have a calm afternoon.

Today I did a bit of overkill because I am late starting this week with my exercises so I "doubled up" on doing legs and shoulders today....and then went for the trifecta and did abs as well. 330pm until around 530pm.

I'm normally never a paranoid or anxious person and I've rarely ever had bad dreams in the past so this is why I'm curious if it has something to do with the extra...whatever I am accumulating from lifting weights. I havn't changed my diet too much from what I was doing before I started this program and I'm not taking any supplements or steroids, just your run of the mill lifting.

Am I the only one experiencing something like this?

Replies

  • MrStabbems
    MrStabbems Posts: 3,110 Member
    whilst it isn't common I don't think its extremely rare. speaking to a doc is the best advice but if you cant for whatever reason I would try working out in the morning rather than 3-6pm. Anxiety is often described as the flight or fight response going into overdrive which is effectively primed by adrenaline but I have a limited understanding of endocrinology.

    Do you have diabetes/bp or blood sugar issues by any chance?
  • BeastofBodmin
    BeastofBodmin Posts: 34 Member
    Could be that due to exercise you're sleeping deeper ?
  • kristikitter
    kristikitter Posts: 602 Member
    OP how strange - I have been experiencing more dreams than usual after starting exercise!!

    They aren't nightmares as such but I find they are vivid and I wake more often. The only other experience I have had which is comparable was when I started on Citalopram (again, people report nightmares, but I had beautiful dreams).

    Maybe it's just a change in the body, more muscle pain or whatever, that keeps you in REM sleep/otherwise disrupts your deep sleep?
  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
    Waking up each morning in Toronto is a nightmare
  • saraholiviacuomo
    saraholiviacuomo Posts: 2 Member
    MrStabbems wrote: »
    whilst it isn't common I don't think its extremely rare. speaking to a doc is the best advice but if you cant for whatever reason I would try working out in the morning rather than 3-6pm. Anxiety is often described as the flight or fight response going into overdrive which is effectively primed by adrenaline but I have a limited understanding of endocrinology.

    Do you have diabetes/bp or blood sugar issues by any chance?

    I will talk to my doctor for sure. No issues with diabetes, bp or blood sugar. "Leg day" seems to bring it on mote than others... Weird...
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    I'm married.

    Nightmares are a way of life.
  • ClubSilencio
    ClubSilencio Posts: 2,983 Member
    Probably depleted of magnesium.

    You tend to lose minerals through perspiration. Take a multi and see if it helps or step your nutrition up.

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