What Happens to Your Body When You Start Working Out Before Bed

If you still think exercising before bed messes up your sleep, you might want to reconsider. Science backs up evening workouts and proves that they’re just as healthy and efficient as morning ones. Give exercising before bed a try and you’ll notice that it won’t leave you tossing and turning. Since not all of us have time for morning workouts, read on to discover the benefits of exercising at night.

Bright Side has some good news for those busy bees out there — now you can safely enjoy a nice evening workout without it ever compromising your sleep.

You can do harder workouts later in the day.

If you’ve ever felt a sudden burst of energy in the late afternoon, there’s a reason for that. Just remember how extremely active you’d be before bed when you were a kid. This is because your body temperature rises between 2 PM and 6 PM. This makes you more likely to put more effort into your workouts.

Additionally, if you’re a runner, consider going out for a run in the evening. One study found that running in the dark with nothing to distract you makes you run faster.

You might sleep better.

Contrary to popular belief, exercising before bed actually improves your sleep quality. You find it easier to drift into a deep sleep, according to researchers at ETH Zurich. Besides, there’s been no proof that physical exercise negatively impacts sleep quality. However, it’s better to stay away from HIIT workouts, as they’re the ones that can affect your shut-eye.

Your muscles could form faster.

The ratio of testosterone and cortisol is the best in the evening for muscle growth. Although it’s higher in the morning, the muscle-building effects work to the fullest when the sun sets. It’s better to focus on long-distance runs or longer but milder workouts to get the most of it.

You might release accumulated stress.

Sometimes it’s hard to fall asleep because of all the emotions and thoughts we have. In this case, bedtime stretches or yoga are the best options. One review found that practicing yoga before sleep helps you drift off earlier. It is also known to reduce stress and anxiety as well as slow down your mind and deepen your breath. The latter lets more oxygen into your body, thus making you feel more relaxed.

When do you usually work out? Do you think exercising in the evenings is more beneficial?