Struggling to fall asleep fast? Your exercise routine may be to blame, says new sleep study
A new study has found that the time of day in which you exercise can have a significant impact on sleep quality.
Researchers at Monash University recently discovered that an evening workout can increase the time it takes to fall asleep, disrupting your sleep schedule.
The study, published this month in Nature Communications, also found that exercising close to bed can shorten sleep duration, diminish sleep quality, and increase your resting heart rate.
Key takeaways from the study:
- Vigorous exercise before bed can make it harder to fall asleep and lower sleep quality.
- Exercising too close to your bedtime can also decrease sleep duration.
- Concluding your workout at least four hours before your bedtime will not disrupt your sleep.
The research was conducted by using exercise and sleep data from 14,689 physically active individuals, who all wore a biometric device during a year-long study.
Those who performed intense exercise — defined as any physical activity that increases body temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate — within four hours of going to bed.
“Intense exercise in the evening can keep the body in a heightened state of alertness,” lead author Dr Josh Leota told Monash.
Senior author Dr Elise Facer-Childs also spoke to the University about the impact the findings will have on the public’s understanding of sleep hygiene.
“Evening exercise—particularly involving high levels of cardiovascular strain—may disrupt subsequent sleep, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability, thereby impairing a critical stage of the recovery process,” Dr Facer-Childs said.
“Our novel and timely findings have significant implications for public health messaging around timing, duration and intensity of exercise”.
What does the study reveal about exercise before sleep?
Studies have shown that leaving your workout for the daytime is best for your sleep, while health organizations have always recommended skipping a bedtime workout.
However, some research has called the link between the timing of exercise and sleep quality into question.
Dr Leota, on the other hand, says his team’s research impugns the credibility of controlled laboratory studies that suggest evening exercise doesn’t disrupt sleep.
“These studies have relied on small sample sizes and laboratory settings, and rarely involved exercise bouts that elicit substantial cardiometabolic demand on the body, calling into question the external validity of such findings,” said the research fellow.
When is the best time of day to exercise?
So, exercising right before bed isn’t a good idea, but what is the best time to exercise for sleep?
According to the study, any exercise (no matter how intense) which ends at least fours before bedtime will not impact sleep in any way.
The study concludes: “Individuals aiming to improve sleep health may benefit from concluding exercise at least 4 hours before sleep onset or electing lighter strain exercises within this window.”
Is there an exercise for sleep?
While it’s best to leave the HIIT workouts for the daylight, there are some gentle exercises that can promote sleep.
“If exercising within a four-hour window of bedtime, people could choose brief low intensity exercises, such as a light jog or swim, to minimise sleep disruption and allow the body to wind down,” Dr Leota advised.
So, if you’re looking to incorporate light exercise into your nighttime routine, try a gentle walk to reduce risk of sleep apnea or this bedtime yoga routine for relaxation.
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