Is Exercise Before Bed a Bad Idea?

The relationship between exercise and sleep

There are numerous benefits to regular exercise, including:

1. Lower risk of certain diseases e.g. cancers & diabetes
2. Improved mental health
3. Weight loss
4. Improved physical function^[1]
5. Maintaining a healthy weight

Alongside these, it can also improve sleep in many individuals. This is because it can promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, realign your internal clock and increase core body temperature. When your temperature begins to drop, you may feel sleepy^[2].

Can exercise treat insomnia?

Studies have shown that in just 4 weeks, those with chronic insomnia, who begin regular exercise, can fall asleep up to 13 minutes faster^[3]. They can also stay asleep 18 minutes longer.

It’s thought that just one reason for this is that sleep can relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety, which often go hand in hand with insomnia.

What type of exercise is best for sleep?

When it comes to sleep, not all types of exercise were created equal.

Traditionally, experts have recommended not exercising at night as part of good sleep hygiene^[4]. However, several studies have since found that exercising in the evening can actually improve sleep.

Moderate aerobic exercise increases the amount of slow wave sleep you get, also known as a deep sleep, where the brain and body have a chance to rejuvenate^[5]. Your heart rate and breathing slow down, the growth hormone is released, and your body physically repairs itself.

While vigorous exercise right before bed can affect sleep in some individuals, in most cases, getting exercise is almost always better than getting no exercise at all^[6].

Does timing matter?

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for the best time to workout. Whether you’re a night owl, an early bird, or have time at lunch, the important thing is you get it done.

However, it’s recommended that most people stop performing moderate exercise at least 90 minutes before bedtime to ensure it doesn’t have a detrimental effect on sleep^[7]. This allows time for endorphin, adrenaline and core body temperature to drop to levels favourable to sleep. Low-intensity exercise, such as walking or yoga, can be performed at night with no impact on sleep^[8].

In fact, multiple studies have found that evening exercise improves sleep quality.

When is the best time of day to exercise for sleep?

Again, the best time to exercise depends on the individual. Whenever you can fit it in is good – every time has its perks. In short: there’s really no bad time for exercise.

How does exercise affect sleep?

Let’s get to the science behind exercise and sleep. What makes it so beneficial?

Habits matter the most

Exercising before bed isn’t a bad idea, although you should avoid completing a very vigorous workout and trying to jump straight into bed. Habits matter more than the time of the day you work out.

Try to set aside some time; at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.¹¹ Try to spread this out evenly, for example 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. The more you stick with it, the easier it will be to build healthy habits that ultimately improve your sleep.

Tired of being tired?

Exercise can be just one piece of the puzzle. Other ways to improve your sleep include:

• Avoiding alcohol before bed
• Increasing light exposure during the day
• Reducing blue light exposure in the evenings (e.g. TV, phone screens)
• Meditating
• Avoiding caffeine after 3-4pm
• Avoiding long naps
• Promoting a healthy sleep environment
• Taking a relaxing bath or shower¹²

Exercise more, sleep better

For most people, there’s no ‘bad’ time of day to work out. It’s really down to you, your schedule and how easily you can make it a habit. Exercise has numerous benefits for both physical and mental health, with improved sleep being just one of them. Even if you can only fit in 20 minutes a day, something is better than nothing. The more you stick with it, the easier it will be to keep it up.