Work out before bedtime

[mifsit]

Hi Everyone. My work out last night was late. I finished up at 9.30pm and was in bed 2 hours later. Thing is I had a rotten nights sleep but I thought waiting 2 hours would be enough. Should I avoid working out this late? the gym was quite busy at that time.

[helena]

I was always told not to work out too close to bedtime, as you need to give your body time to unwind!!
if that is the only time you can get to the gym then you dont really have a choice, but if you can do it earlier then go for it!!!

[Widdlecuddles]

I have heard the only type of workout to do before bed would be something like yoga

[Missy]

I found this on the net.....



You will perform best when your energy level is high. So if you are a morning person, early morning may work best for you.

Some enjoy exercising in the early evening, since exercise helps them relieve the stresses of the day and relax for the night. For others, exercising vigorously at night may keep them awake longer.

So when is the best time to exercise? Any time that you can do it. I recommend trying an early morning routine first if you can. lt starts your day on a positive note and other responsibilities won't prevent you from exercising. Researchers have found that those who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with an exercise routine than those who put it off until later in the day.

If early morning does not work for you and you are disciplined and committed to exercising another time, then by all means, do it then. The best time for you is the time when you will do it and remain committed. It's not always easy getting started, but if you stay with it for some time, you will like what you see, and will be more motivated to continue.

[mifsit]

I think I'll be sticking to the early morning work out. The gym is a lot less busy at that time

[Patty_Ann]

I just read in a magazine that working out just before CAN be a good thing - they say that as long as it isn't a streneous workout then you can do it and that you should be able to get a better night's sleep. I wish I still had the article I would type it up for ya. Sorry!

[mifsit]

Patty Ann, thanks. My workout is quite streneous but I have found that I can go swimming in the evenings and feel ok at bed time.

[Trying4Thin]

I have mixed feelings about this....

I get a second wind during the evening; and so I used to go to the gym after the "rush." Sometimes I was there until 11pm and closed the place down. I dont like being on the treadmill when the place is jammed. Or I watch a movie and bike through it. There is something really cool about doing my cardio in a dark apartment while watching a movie on a 20 inch flat screen monitor. I feel like I have my own interactive movie theatre. Maybe more people would go to the movies if instead of seats, they had Cardio equipment. Argh..Bet it would cost a small fortune to get in though.

On the other side of the equation is what I like to call..."Exercise Induced Insomnia." You would think that a crazy workout like biking 30 miles before bed would knock somebody out. For me; I go into overdrive. I may sleep a few hours, but then I cant seem to sleep later on. Interrupted REM Cycles cause grouchiness and grogginess in people. This is one of the few things I remember from College Intro to Psych. This will also cause your weight loss efforts to be lessened. (As I have found out.)

Bottom line?

All exercise is good exercise, but timing is everything!

Happy sweating!

~Carrie

[Patty_Ann]

The only thing I can say is to try working out before bed for a week and see if it works for ya...you'll never know unless you see for yourself. Best Wishes!