Can't sleep on the night after a hard workout

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GazelleLady
GazelleLady Posts: 131 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
It seems like I consistently have trouble sleeping after a day I've done extra hard/long exercise. Anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you cope with it? In the past couple of weeks, on a night after a time trial or a long run, I have barely slept! I am usually finished running/exercising by 5 PM, and I'm usually not very active in the evening, so I don't think it is because of the time of day I run.

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  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Try some yoga or relaxation techniques in the evening.
  • GazelleLady
    GazelleLady Posts: 131 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    Try some yoga or relaxation techniques in the evening.

    Thanks. I might try that. Even if I still can't sleep, I am better off not stressing about it
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    I found that making sure my electrolytes are replaced, especially magnesium, really helps. Also, essential oils like lavender, in a lotion and/or diffuser help me relax.
  • MT1134
    MT1134 Posts: 173 Member
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    Your cortisol levels are probably still elevated. Are you doing a cool down after your workouts? It's important to bring down your sympathetic nervous system activity immediately after your workouts.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,425 Member
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    Yes, I have the same problem. Found no proper solution for this yet. I now that for me it's a bit of a medical issue, but how and what is still uncertain, and there's very little I can do about it other than avoid ' intense' as much as possible.
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
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    Ok, so not the ideal solution, but I have found Benadryl to be extremely helpful in these situations. If I feel particularly wired or have had an overly intense workout, I take 2 generic (target brand up and up) Benadryl with my tea and within 45 min I’m asleep.

    I would try some of the above mentioned before trying this method as those are certainly healthier options. Benadryl are fairly innocuous though, although some people feel groggy the next day (I’m lucky enough not to have that problem).
  • GazelleLady
    GazelleLady Posts: 131 Member
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    Thanks for the advice, everyone! All great ideas. And I definitely have some issues with my electrolytes getting out of whack, for some reason.

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,679 Member
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    Hard exercise can cause muscle aches that may not be actual pain, but are enough to keep me from sleeping. When I was backpacking, I learned that the best way to sleep after a day on the trail was to take some Advil or Advil PM. I do the same now that I'm running regularly. Advil can slow down muscle healing, but I think it's worth it if it means I can sleep.
  • B_Plus_Effort
    B_Plus_Effort Posts: 311 Member
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    I went through this when running about 5 miles a day 5 to 6 times a week, asked my doctor cause I was sleeping like 4 hours a night when I finally fell asleep, and he said well if you are rested that's all the sleep you need

    so the last thing you need to do is stress over it, it's a phase, trust me when your body decides it needs to rest or reboot or crash it will let you know, in the meantime find something productive to do or something to help you pass the time and relax, what ever you do don't stress over it

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