Regular exercise has numerous benefits, including better sleep, relaxation, reduced anxiety, and normalizing the internal clock. Exercise also increases your core body temperature, which can make you feel sleepy when it begins to drop. However, recent research has found that it is possible to enjoy exercise close to bedtime without compromising your sleep. The key is to be mindful of the exact timing and focus on the type of exercise that won't affect your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Recent studies have challenged the notion that exercising too late in the day could disrupt your sleep. A small 2020 study found that moderate-intensity evening workouts didn't affect the participants' sleep. Another 2020 study found that exercising in the evening did not disturb the participants' ability to sleep. A 2019 review analyzed 23 studies on evening exercise and sleep, finding that evening workouts can improve sleep as long as the exercise was done at a moderate — not vigorous — intensity, and ended more than 1 hour before bedtime.
To improve your sleep health, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity during the day or evening. To achieve continuous sleep benefits, strive for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week, which can be achieved by doing 30-minute workouts 5 days a week. If it's hard to commit to 30 minutes at a time, break this up into two 15-minute workouts a day, 5 days a week. Or, if you prefer a more strenuous workout, aim for at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week.
Find an activity that you truly enjoy, as it will be easier to do it regularly. Other steps to help boost your sleep health include keeping a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding electronic devices before bedtime, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, reducing noise pollution, sleeping at a comfortable temperature, getting comfortable with your mattress and pillows, avoiding heavy meals before bedtime, avoiding nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine before bed, and keeping naps short.
In conclusion, working out before bedtime has traditionally been discouraged due to the belief that exercising later in the day could make it harder to fall asleep and have a good night's sleep. Recent studies have found that moderate-intensity exercise won't impact your sleep if you complete it at least 1 hour before bedtime. On the other hand, strenuous physical activity just before bedtime may have a negative effect on your sleep. The best time to get active is the time that works for you, and what's most important is that you exercise regularly, whenever that may be.
