ESPFinding time to exercise is challenging. If you don’t have time for a morning or lunchtime workout, working out at night may be a great option – and it may help improve your sleep. Moderate evening activity can help you fall asleep faster. It can increase the amount of slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), allowing your body to rejuvenate more effectively. Here are some other benefits of an evening workout:
• Stress Reduction: Physical activity releases endorphins and lowers cortisol, helping to clear your mind of the day's stress.
• Temperature Regulation: While exercise raises your core temperature, the subsequent drop in temperature (occurring 30–90 minutes later) signals to your brain that it is time to sleep—a phenomenon often called the "warm bath effect".
• Finish Early: Aim to conclude moderate to vigorous sessions at least 90 minutes to 2 hours before sleep.
Here are some other points to consider:
• opt for Low Intensity: If you choose to exercise shortly before bed, choose calming activities like yoga, stretching, or slow walking.
• Take "Activity Breaks": Recent studies suggest that even short, 3-minute resistance breaks (like chair squats) every 30 minutes in the evening can extend total sleep time by nearly 30 minutes.
