In general, it is fine to work out at any time of day. That said, some researchers suggest that you should stop exercising at least 90 minutes before sleep. This time allows heart rate to slow down and body temperature to return to normal.
Most people should avoid strenuous workouts in the late evening or right before bedtime if they want to get the best night's sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation of American.
The takeaway: Getting regular exercise any time of the day can be added to your list of good sleep hygiene habits, but avoid strenuous physical activity late in the evening. In addition, you can get quality sleep by doing the following: Set a regular bedtime and adopt a relaxing bedtime routine.
Exercising too close to bedtime could cause you to take longer to fall asleep. Exercising immediately after eating dinner could cause muscle cramps and indigestion. If you miss a morning workout you can make up for it in the evening, you can't do this with an evening workout.
You may be thinking that a late-night workout will have you so energized you won't be able to slow down when it's time to go to sleep — but the opposite is actually true! According to The Washington Post, exercise helps you sleep deeper and longer, no matter what time of day you exercise.
You won't accomplish much through a sleep-deprived workout except more exhaustion and maybe some resentment toward exercise. There's a clear link between sleep and fitness: Research shows that inadequate sleep negatively affects athletic performance while adequate sleep improves performance.
You should avoid working out less than three hours before your bedtime. "Working out in the morning is better because it's easier to commit to and get done before the day's responsibilities get in the way," the experts at Heathline note. "In the evening, many people feel tired after work or school.
Studies have shown that vigorous exercise less than three hours before bedtime can lead to delayed sleep onset.
Working out too late in the day can leave you feeling energized and stimulated right before bed and delay your transition to sleep. Similar to taking a hot bath, exercise can negatively impact your sleep quality by raising your body temperature. It is recommended that you exercise no later than three hours before bed.
There are benefits to evening workouts, too
Evening exercise — between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. — “greatly” increased upper body muscle strength, power and endurance, and enhanced overall mood for women, according to the study published in Frontiers in Physiology.
“Exercising at 7 a.m. or between 1 and 4 p.m. helps your circadian clock to 'fall back' in time, making it easier to wake up earlier,” Heisz says. If you need to train your body to wake up later in the morning, try working out between 7 and 10 p.m. “The best time to exercise is when you can fit it in,” Arciero says.
For men, evening exercise led to greater fat burning and better blood pressure control. Evening exercise also amplified the benefits of strength training, but more so for women.
Based on the research, late afternoon/evening exercise is superior to morning exercise, particularly for strength and power activities. Circadian rhythm tends to peak between 2pm-6pm, and the body is in optimum condition for best physical performance.
The body's muscles tend to be weaker during the morning and gradually increase in strength throughout the day. The body's muscles achieve peak strength in the early evening.
Muscle strength, flexibility, power output and endurance are all better in the evening than they are in the morning. Plus, people who exercise in the evening take up to 20% longer to reach the point of exhaustion.
Going to the gym anytime past 7 pretty much guarantees you'll be up all night. The combination of pre workout and endorphins adds a few hours of jitters and energy that you won't be able to defeat, and get to sleep. 7pm is the last window to get a workout in before sabotaging your night.
Quietest times during the day to visit the gym at the weekend: 1pm to 9pm and 5am to 7am. Quietest times during weekday mornings to visit the gym: Between 4am and 6am. For the shift workers: Busiest times of the day to visit the gym: Between 5pm and 7pm Monday to Thursday.
Chronic sleep loss is a potent catabolic stressor, increasing the risk of metabolic dysfunction and loss of muscle mass and function.
One night of poor sleep shouldn't have to impact your workout routine, but chronic sleep deprivation leading to multiple days of exhaustion is another matter, experts say. It may not be wise to hit the gym or play a sport when you're barely putting one foot in front of the other, said sleep specialist Dr.
As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight, maintain weight loss or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. Reducing sitting time is important, too.
In fact, nighttime sweat sessions have so much upside that even early risers might consider including them in their weekly lineup of workouts. If you're wondering, 6 P.M. is actually the most popular time of day for running, strength training, indoor cycling and dance-cardio workouts, according to Jawbone stats.
“Human exercise performance is better in the evening than the morning, as (athletes) consume less oxygen, that is, they use less energy, for the same intensity of exercise in the evening versus the morning,” says Gad Asher, a researcher in the Weizmann Institute of Science's department of biomolecular sciences, and ...