Exercise before bed

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Hannahwalksfar
Hannahwalksfar Posts: 572 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Any proven benefits for doing strength training and resistance exercises before drifting off?

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  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
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    I haven't seen any research to this extent; interested to see if anyone has some scientific insight.

    Personally I feel more awake/invigorated after a workout, so I avoid working out in the evenings, but that's merely anecdotal.
  • harrycharming885
    harrycharming885 Posts: 13 Member
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    Resistance and Strength increase muscle strength through training, it also improves the mental health that gives you a good sleep at night.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    It doesn't matter the time of day you work out. It's personal preference. Personally I find that if I work out too late, the endorphins and adrenaline from the workouts keep me from falling asleep but your mileage may vary.
  • lollie1285
    lollie1285 Posts: 239 Member
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    I find that it helps keep me up longer which in my case, is a good thing. If i don't work out at night, I will lay on the couch at 7pm and just fall asleep. I hate that. I used to have an issue where if I did cardio at night I would sleep terribly, but that seems to have passed.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    MikePTY wrote: »
    It doesn't matter the time of day you work out. It's personal preference. Personally I find that if I work out too late, the endorphins and adrenaline from the workouts keep me from falling asleep but your mileage may vary.

    Same here.

    I think I've read literature that states it"s not the best for most people as well but I really don't remember where or when.

    That being said, I would train when I could even if that means losing some sleep if it was a temporary situation.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    I fit it in whenever I can...sometimes it's late at night, but I try to do it before dinner just so I can workout without so much food on my stomach...I don't think it matter when as much as it matter IF...just do it!!!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    Exercise is beneficial no matter what time you do it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    Hannahwalksfar wrote: »
    Any proven benefits for doing strength training and resistance exercises before drifting off?

    What do you mean by "benefits." Many people find it difficult to sleep if they've done a workout shortly before going to bed. I would be one of those people...I also have a hard time getting my body temperature down in order to sleep if I workout too close to going to bed.
  • marcusjgrose
    marcusjgrose Posts: 16 Member
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    MikePTY wrote: »
    It doesn't matter the time of day you work out. It's personal preference. Personally I find that if I work out too late, the endorphins and adrenaline from the workouts keep me from falling asleep but your mileage may vary.

    ^ This ^
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    Working out at night benefits me because I'm able to be consistent with it. It doesn't disturb my ability to sleep like more creative endeavors do.
  • Hannahwalksfar
    Hannahwalksfar Posts: 572 Member
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    I was more wondering if there was any evidence to suggest that working out then resting for a prolonged time during sleep would aid development of muscles at all versus working out then continuing to be active
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
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    harrycharming885 wrote: »
    Resistance and Strength increase muscle strength through training, it also improves the mental health that gives you a good sleep at night.
    Yes to that first clause (though it's worded a little weirdly to me), I'm not sure about that second part. Some but certainly not all people find that it improves their mental health. Whether or not that improvement in one's mental health is at all connected to good sleep is something I'm not really willing to believe without reading an article about it. I would assume that the (potential) fatigue would potentially be related to an increased level of sleep. Never mind that some people's depression symptoms involve increased sleep.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    Hannahwalksfar wrote: »
    I was more wondering if there was any evidence to suggest that working out then resting for a prolonged time during sleep would aid development of muscles at all versus working out then continuing to be active

    Not really...normal daily moving about isn't going to inhibit muscle development.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
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    MikePTY wrote: »
    It doesn't matter the time of day you work out. It's personal preference. Personally I find that if I work out too late, the endorphins and adrenaline from the workouts keep me from falling asleep but your mileage may vary.

    Ditto - I feel "wound up" after exercise, which makes falling asleep shortly thereafter a non-starter.
  • Hannahwalksfar
    Hannahwalksfar Posts: 572 Member
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    So I tried a half hours HIIT session before bed last night. Fell asleep so much fast and woke up feeling good so will try again tonight.
  • drmwc
    drmwc Posts: 991 Member
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    I quite often work out late at night. I was lifting weights at 12.30 a.m. on Tuesday, for example. I work long hours, and have a home gym in my shed. So this schedule works for me.

    The main downside is that I find it hard to get to sleep immediately afterwards - I need to wait an hour or so.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    I would find it hard to wind down to sleep if I worked out late evening. But do what works for you, it doesn't really matter what time you workout.
  • meganpettigrew86
    meganpettigrew86 Posts: 349 Member
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    I do it all the time when I'm over my alloted calories.. I hop on the exercycle or go for late night run.

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