Many people like to work out in the gym in the evening after a day of sitting, mental exertion and/or stress. But is all that grueling exercise really beneficial for your night’s sleep?
Insufficient sleep
Sleeping is not only necessary to give our body rest; it improves our mood, memory and concentration, helps restore our brain cells and is essential for our immune system. Research has shown that insufficient sleep also increases the risk of obesity, heart disease and depression. Yet, due to the ever-increasing work and time pressure and the demands it places on body and mind, getting enough sleep is becoming an increasing problem for many people today.
Timing your exercise
Sports and other forms of exercise are good tools to help the body relax. But as is so often the case: it’s all about the right moment. And as is the case with many health issues, scientists do not always agree on what wisdom is. One allows you to exercise until you drop into bed, while the other warns you not to do so in the last 3 to 4 hours before you go to bed. It seems that exercise activates you physically, and therefore actually sends signals to your brain to get going again, instead of taking it easier.
For your metabolism
Friend and enemy agree that exercise is not only good for stress and for your health, but also really helps you get a better night’s sleep. At least 20 to 30 minutes a day is a good way to keep your metabolism up. The only question is whether this is still desirable late in the evening.
Trying out
The best advice is probably to put it to the test. Take a few weeks to find out what works best for you. Use the first 2-3 weeks to exercise at a time that suits you best, for example late in the afternoon or evening. Keep a log of the times, duration and intensity or nature of your exercises, as well as how quickly you fell asleep afterwards, how long you slept and how fit and fresh you felt when you woke up the next morning. Then take the same period, 2 or 3 weeks, in which you change the time of your exercises or fitness to early in the morning or midday, and compare the results afterwards.
No uniformity
Of course, it also has to do with the type of person you are and what your average weekday looks like. Ambitious, active and/or stressed people are often hyper alert at night and therefore sleep less or worse. While less aroused positions with a relaxed lifestyle often have much less or no difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
Weave it into your daily schedule
If you’re already a morning person, you might be able to exploit that trait even further by getting up just a little bit earlier and using that extra time for a run or a visit to the gym. A healthy dose of exercise is the best way to start your day energetically, even if you are a night person.
Also look at options to fit it into your daily schedule. If morning exercise isn’t your thing, maybe you can do something during your lunch break, or right after work, for example on the way home.
Light exercise also helps
The good news for seniors and less active people is that you don’t have to start training for a triathlon right away to sleep better. It is enough to increase your heart rate 20 to 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, to improve both the duration and the quality of your sleep. A brisk walk (one that makes you pant a little), a bike ride, a few laps in the pool or a light jog are enough (as long as you don’t expect to lose weight in six weeks). takes off your floaties!).
Divide it into pieces
In fact, you can also divide your exercise into chunks and chunks. 5 to 10 minutes here, fifteen minutes there, it’s just as effective as a longer session and may be easier to fit into your busy schedule.
Which is possible
What you can always do just before going to bed, without overly stimulating your body, is yoga and a quiet walk (your dog won’t mind that either). Gentle stretching exercises next to your bed are also a good idea. One form of exercise that is always good for your sleep is sex. Regardless of time or intensity, making love helps release a substance in your brain that relaxes you and promotes sleep (even at times when you don’t want to). Take advantage of this knowledge!
In short
If you’re honestly looking for ways to sleep better, experiment with the type, intensity, and timing of exercise until you find what works best for you. Sufficient exercise is always good for you, so whenever, wherever or however you do it: do it!
