Exercising Before Bed?

It is obvious that daily exercise will help us sleep better at night, but what about exercising right before hitting the sac? It has been said that exercising close to bedtime can hinder your dreamland. After all, exercising increases heart rate and body temperature, and even releases epinephrine into your system. It seems simple, just don’t do it.

However, studies show that exercising at night (or anytime of the day for that matter) will actually help you sleep better. For most people that is, there is a group of people who will have difficulty falling asleep after exercise. You’ll just have to try it to find out which group you fall into. If you happen to be the person who cannot wind down, you better set your alarm at the butt crack of dawn and HITT it! :)

But, for most people, exercising close to bedtime doesn’t appear to be a problem. A study by the National Sleep Foundation found that 83% of people who had exercised at anytime of the day, including right before bed, reported sleeping better than those who didn’t exercise at all. So, if the only time you can squeeze in that workout is right before bed, you go for it! If you find yourself in the small group of those who just cannot fall asleep after a workout, you will probably have to bite the bullet and get your booty up before the sun. :)