You’ve probably heard the warning…
Don’t exercise in the evening because it can keep you awake at night.
The idea seems to make sense. After all, if you rev up your body for a workout close to bedtime, it must make it more difficult to wind down and fall asleep.
But new research says that’s flat wrong.
Researchers at Australia’s Charles Sturt University recruited middle-aged men to study the effects of exercise on sleep. They had the men exercise in the morning (6 to 7 a.m.), the afternoon (2 to 4 p.m.) or evening (7 to 9 p.m.)[1]
The subjects did high-intensity interval training. (We’ve told you about the benefits of this kind of workout here and here.)
The exercise sessions consisted of cycling in six one-minute sprints at maximum intensity with 4-minute intervals of rest in between.
The scientists took blood samples from the subjects. They also did multiple tests while the subjects slept to gauge sleep quality.
The scientists found that evening exercise did not hurt sleep quality. And afternoon and evening exercise was more beneficial than morning workouts in one way… It led to reduced appetite due to a drop in ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger.
And subjects who exercised later in the day seemed to have more energy. They exercised harder.[2]
Dr. Alice Doe is a sleep specialist. She says that exercise helps you sleep…no matter when you do it.
“Getting regular exercise helps you sleep better,” she said. “It increases the good neurotransmitters that increase sleep drive. You feel better when you exercise.”
Exercise When You Want
Ignore the evening exercise myth. The many benefits of exercise are inarguable. You’ll live longer and feel better if you’re active on a regular basis.
If evening workouts fit your schedule, you shouldn’t avoid them. One thing is for sure… You won’t lose sleep over it.
Editor’s Note: If you suffer from insomnia, you need to know about an ancient Buddhist health secret that helps people sleep like a baby. You’ll find it in the April issue of Independent Healing, your source for cutting-edge medical information your doctor won’t tell you about.
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[1]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30801859
[2]https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-02/tps-eew021919.php