Exercise Before Bed: Good or Bad for Sleep?

May 09, 2022

4 mins

When starting the rewarding journey to improving your general health and physique, it can be a task identifying time in the day to get your workout in.

The age-old question of when exactly you should workout has some controversy, too.

Visit any workout forum and you'll find a jumble of conflicting threads and workout buffs convinced that their timing is best. Or that evening workouts are bad. Or any number of ideas around workout timing.

Many people are convinced that working out in the evening causes poor sleep, too. For those who only have time for exercise in the evenings, this can be an unfortunate turnoff from working out altogether.

But what exactly does the science have to say about exercise before bed?

Below is a closer look at the factors to consider when it comes to the time of day you exercise and how exercise can impact sleep quality.

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When Should I Exercise?

The good news is: working out is mostly fine (great, in fact) so long as you're not doing exercise in the hour before you plan to sleep.

Choosing the time of day to exercise is an important aspect of ensuring you stick with your routine.

Whether you're starting exercise to help with your weight and sexual health, support overall wellness, or are simply looking to get in better shape, learning to look forward to your workout, at a good time for you or your family, can play an important role in ensuring you stick to it.

We all have certain parts of the day during which we feel most energized and perform our best. For some, it may be right as they wake up, first thing in the early morning. For others, it may be in the afternoon when they're ready for a break from work.

Many people overlook this aspect of their exercise planning and dread having to work out simply because it doesn't mesh well with their personal preferences.

There's no perfect answer for when you should exercise, and you should work to make a schedule that fits Most important is just that you get exercise regularly!

While the best time to work out varies from person to person; here are a few factors to help you get there.

Convenience

The first thing you should consider––and probably already have–– is convenience when it comes to the time of your workout regimen. One of the primary reasons individuals slip out of their exercise routine or fail to develop a good habit around regular exercise is that it simply doesn't fit their schedule.

A good way to determine optimal exercise times for your lifestyle is to list out the non-negotiable blocks of your day and see where you may be able to fit in a workout.

For example, going to bed in your running clothes is a simple hack to make running in the morning easier: one less item of friction when you roll out of bed to an early alarm.

If you’re working from home, your lunch break could be ideal for a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout. If you work from home on Fridays, you could schedule work with a personal trainer for those days only.

The key to developing a great exercise routine that sticks is to make it as seamless as possible. Eliminating barriers for a "frictionless" experience will make exercise that much more likely to happen. 

Night Owl or Early Bird?

Are you an early riser or a late-night kind of person?

To get the most out of your workout, have your workout fall within the period of time where you feel the most awake and energetic.

If you're a night owl who tends to stay up until midnight and wake at 8:00am (and your schedule accommodates this lifestyle), working out in the evening may be ideal. In fact, it's even better if your evening time is normally full of Netflix and snacks. Replace those unhealthy habits with good ones!

Your internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm, is largely responsible for your propensity to be a night owl, early riser, or somewhere in the middle.

You can do things to adjust your circadian rhythm and regular bedtime/waking routine, but if you're looking to get the most out of your high-intensity workout, consider a time that aligns with when you're naturally awake and alert.

Energy

The last thing you should consider before you commit to a regular exercise time is when you find yourself in need of a pick-me-up like a cup of coffee.

Exercise is one of the best ways to naturally increase feelings of energy, which can help you get through the mid-afternoon slump or initial morning grogginess. 

While it's a slog to get started for most people, a jog first thing in the morning can leave you feeling more energetic for the rest of the day afterwards.

Caffeine can help fight fatigue temporarily, of course, but exercise can do this exceptionally well. And, it comes with a whole host of benefits like muscle growth, improved cardiovascular health, and better overall wellbeing.

How are Exercise and Sleep Related?

Exercise and sleep have a unique relationship. Exercise can have both positive and negative impacts on sleep depending on how close the exercise is to your intended bedtime.

In some instances getting exercise can help promote more restful sleep, while it can also cause you to have more trouble falling asleep on time.

Some people throw caution to the wind and simply focus on exercise at any time. While this may seem like a good idea, it's incredibly important that you're getting quality exercise and quality sleep.

Below is a closer look at how exercise can be good for sleep as well as how it can be bad for your sleep.

Benefits of Exercise for Sleep

Exercise can be conducive to a good night’s sleep in a number of ways.

First, physical activity has repeatedly been associated with improved quality of sleep at all ages. Getting regular exercise, according to multiple studies, has at least a moderately beneficial effect on sleep quality. This is almost universal when compared to a sedentary lifestyle with no exercise.

Second, physical activity paired with a healthy lifestyle can help alleviate sleep conditions like sleep apnea caused by being overweight. Sleep apnea has a number of potential causes, but according to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly 60% of cases are caused by being overweight. If you lose weight through regular exercise, you may be able to sleep better.

Another way that exercise can help you enjoy better sleep is through its ability to raise your core body temperature. Throughout any given day, your core body temperature fluctuates. Typically your core body temperature increases throughout the day, and at night, it begins to fall. This transition from warmer to cooler body temperature is part of your body's natural circadian rhythm. It's believed that high-intensity exercise can simulate this body temperature change. When your heart rate is high, and you're performing aerobic exercise, your body temperature naturally rises due to higher energy expenditure. When you stop your workout and cool off from your cardio, your body temperature falls, and this transition may help get you to sleep.

Harmful Effects of Exercise on Sleep

While exercise is, in a majority of cases, good for your overall health, there are situations where your workout routine may be disruptive to your sleep.

Evening exercise has the potential to delay your sleep, or prevent you from getting to sleep, if performed too close to the time you intend to go to bed.

According to a meta-analysis on evening exercise and sleep, late-night exercise tends to be beneficial to sleep except when performed less than an hour before bed, in which case it can cause sleep-onset latency.

Essentially you need to give your body enough time between your workout and sleep to allow for the normal transition to sleep. If you try to go to bed too quickly, you may have difficulty falling asleep.

How Rex MD Can Help

Exercise is generally beneficial for your sleep.

Regular exercise can help with weight loss, better sleep, and even help resolve sleep disorders such as sleep apnea.

As long as your exercise is done over an hour before turning out the lights for bed, you most likely will not encounter any negative effects of evening exercise on your sleep.

Consider combining regular exercise with GLP-1 medications to further promote weight management.

The Rex MD Weight Management Program is a cutting-edge, online healthcare service designed to provide patients with easy access to GLP-1 treatments. These medications are known for managing type 2 diabetes and promoting weight loss.

Our program offers a seamless, discreet, and personalized way to receive the care you need from the comfort of your home. Just answer some questions about your medical history and weight loss goals and your healthcare provider will determine if GLP-1 treatment is right for you. If prescribed, a personalized treatment plan is created and your prescription is sent directly to your door.

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