Does Exercising Before Bed Make It Hard to Fall Asleep?
Key takeaways:
Regular exercise can improve your sleep quantity and quality.
In the past, experts have cautioned that exercise before bed can disrupt sleep. However, recent research suggests that the effects depend on workout intensity and the exact timing.
Evening exercise may not hurt your sleep quality as long as you avoid vigorous workouts 90 minutes before bed.
Many people save their workouts for the evening because of their packed schedules and limited downtime. But that goes against traditional advice from sleep experts. In the past, experts recommended avoiding evening workouts for better sleep hygiene.
But does exercise before bed really ruin your sleep? Recent research suggests that it might not.
Does exercise before bed make it harder to fall asleep?
Exercise before may make it harder to fall asleep. But it likely depends on workout intensity and timing.
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Experts have long advised against exercising in the evening, warning that it could make it harder to fall or stay asleep. But newer research challenges these claims. Studies now suggest that, generally, nighttime exercise won't interfere with sleep as long as you avoid vigorous training right before bedtime.
For example, a 2019 review found that evening exercise does not impair sleep. In fact, the review found, it may improve your sleep quality as long as you stop high-intensity workouts at least 1 hour before bed. And a small 2020 study had similar results. Researchers found that a 30-minute, moderate-intensity workout did not affect sleep quality when performed at least 90 minutes before bed.
But keep in mind that there's a need for more large-scale studies with more participants. And the existing research is mixed. For example, one study found that exercise –– no matter the timing or intensity –– does not affect sleep quality.
How does exercise affect sleep?
Regular exercise, done at any time, has been shown to promote better sleep. Exercise can relax your body and mind, which comes in handy at bedtime. And it may reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase slow-wave sleep. This sleep stage is when you get the deepest, most restful sleep. And it's important for muscle and bone growth and a strong immune system.
So where did the idea that exercise before bed is detrimental come from? It might be based on several factors, including:
Body temperature: Along with your heart rate, your body temperature lowers to prepare for sleep. But the opposite occurs during physical activity. Exercise increases circulation, heart rate, and body temperature, which can make you feel more alert.
Hormones: During exercise, your brain releases endorphins and other hormones that can improve mood. But these hormones may also increase brain activity, which could keep you awake.
Anecdotal evidence: Many people who exercise in the morning say it makes them more alert. That's not ideal when you want to get some rest.
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Sticking with well-timed, lower-intensity exercise before bed could counteract these sleep-disrupting effects. Doing a moderate aerobic workout a couple of hours before bed, for example, gives your body time to cool down. By the time you’re ready to sleep, your circulation, heart rate, and body temperature has returned to pre-exercise levels.
What are the advantages of exercise before bed?
While the evidence is mixed, exercising before bed may offer important benefits. Just remember to end your workout session at least 90 minutes before bedtime.
Exercise before bed may help relieve stress
For many people, working out is a way to relieve stress. This may have something to do with the chemicals –– such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine –– that the brain releases during exercise.
Although these "feel-good" chemicals can increase brain activity, they won't necessarily disrupt sleep. In fact, they may improve your mood and provide natural pain relief that makes it easier to get comfortable at night.
Exercise before bed may improve sleep quality
Exercise causes a temporary rise in body temperature, which then lowers to pre-exercise levels within 90 minutes. Once your core temperature begins to fall, your body will start to relax and prepare for sleep. In addition to other benefits, a 2022 review found that a low- to moderate- intensity workout can help you fall asleep faster and get more uninterrupted, deep sleep.
What are the disadvantages of exercise before bed?
High-intensity exercise less than 1 hour before bed could make it harder to fall or stay asleep. But you can stick with low- to moderate-intensity evening workouts. Or leave more time between your training and bedtime if you do strenuous exercise. According to a research review, strenuous exercise performed at least 2 hours before bed won't disrupt sleep in healthy people.
In general, the best time to exercise depends largely on your fitness goals and personal preferences. Some people might have a hard time getting up early for morning workouts. Others might have trouble committing to exercise after a long day.
If you find that exercising before bed makes it harder for you to settle down to sleep, then push your workouts to earlier in the day. Or if you have a diagnosed sleep disorder, talk to your healthcare provider about the right time to exercise.
What are the best types of exercise before bed?
Research suggests that you can do any type of exercise before bed, as long as you finish at least 90 minutes before bedtime.
For example, if you go to bed at 11 PM and want to take a strenuous circuit training or spin class, make sure it wraps up by 9 PM. The closer a workout is to your bedtime, the less vigorously you should exercise. So if you only have an hour until bed, a brisk walk or another lower-intensity activity is the safest choice.
Whatever type of exercise you do, leave time for a proper cooldown. During this 5- to 10-minute period after exercise, your body starts to recover and return to its pre-workout state. And you can couple evening cooldowns with relaxation techniques –– such as deep breathing or yoga poses –– to calm your mind and soothe your body. While you gently stretch the muscles you worked, take long, slow breaths to release pent-up stress and tension.
The bottom line
Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for a good night's sleep. Although experts often warn that exercise before bed can disrupt sleep, recent research doesn't support those claims.
As long as you don't do vigorous exercise within 90 minutes before bed, you probably don't have to worry about sleep disruption. The more time you have, the more strenuous your workouts can be. But no matter how intense your workout is, don't skip the cooldown, which can help you transition to a relaxed, restful state.
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References
Burgess, V. N., et al. (2020). The effect of timing and type of exercise on the quality of sleep in trained individuals. International Journal of Exercise Science.
Devlin, J., et al. (2014). Blood lactate clearance after maximal exercise depends on active recovery intensity. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness.
Frimpong, E., et al. (2021). The effects of evening high-intensity exercise on sleep in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews.
Harding, E. C., et al. (2019). The temperature dependence of sleep. Frontiers in Neuroscience.
Heijnen, S., et al. (2016). Neuromodulation of aerobic exercise—A review. Frontiers in Psychology.
Miller, D. J., et al. (2020). Moderate-intensity exercise performed in the evening does not impair sleep in healthy males. European Journal of Sport Science.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Endorphin.
Park, I., et al. (2021). Exercise improves the quality of slow-wave sleep by increasing slow-wave stability. Scientific Reports.
Patel, A. K., et al. (2022). Physiology, sleep stages. StatPearls.
Souissi, M., et al. (2011). Effect of time-of-day of aerobic maximal exercise on the sleep quality of trained subjects. Biological Rhythm Research.
Stutz, J., et al. (2019). Effects of evening exercise on sleep in healthy participants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine.
Yue, T., et al. (2022). Different intensities of evening exercise on sleep in healthy adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Nature and Science of Sleep.
