Working Out When You’re Tired Can Be Good for You: Here Are Tips on How to Do It
Key takeaways:
Even though you might not want to work out when you’re tired, exercise can be just what you need. It helps energy, focus, mood, and sleep.
When you’re tired, it helps to think of exercise as a self-care habit. And it’s easier to motivate yourself when your workout is fun and easy.
There are still times when it’s more important to focus on rest — like if you’re sleep-deprived or have an illness.
It can be difficult to exercise when you’re tired. And it can also be hard to know whether you should push through the fatigue or take time to rest. You may be feeling the stress of being pulled in too many different directions. Or maybe you aren’t sleeping well, or dealing with conditions like depression or chronic illness.
But even when it doesn’t feel like it, exercise can sometimes be helpful when you’re tired. And there are a few tips that might help you feel more motivated.
Reasons to work out when you’re tired
Exercise has many long-term health benefits. But when you’re feeling fatigued, those may not feel important enough to motivate you. But there are several benefits of exercise that are especially helpful when you’re tired.
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Increased energy
Getting physical activity can help your energy level. "Gentle stretches or a short walk can help stimulate circulation, boost energy levels, and combat the effects of fatigue," said Rocky Snyder, a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
Studies have shown that when people keep up with moderate exercise over several weeks, their overall energy increases. Feelings of fatigue decrease with regular physical activity. This is true for people with and without chronic health conditions.
But you won’t have to wait for weeks to feel this effect. Energy levels can improve in a single session of exercise. Sometimes short bursts of exercise can stop that tired feeling. Even a 12-minute session of exercise can boost your metabolism.
Improved thinking and focus
Physical activity can help prevent dementia and other age-related diseases. But it can also help your brain now. A single session of exercise improves:
Attention
Working memory
Problem-solving
Brain processing speed
Decreased stress and improved mood
If you’re feeling emotionally drained or overwhelmed with stress, physical activity can help. Exercise is a powerful stress reliever. It can also improve symptoms of depression, increasing motivation and enjoyment. Many studies have shown that exercise is effective for mood symptoms as an add-on to antidepressants.
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Better sleep
Exercise can help you fall asleep more easily. Common wisdom is that it should be earlier in the day, but newer research says that exercising later in the day doesn’t affect sleep that much. Making exercise a habit is more important than the time of day.
How to motivate yourself to work out when you’re tired
It can be difficult to get moving when you feel tired. Here are some tips to remember when you aren’t sure you have the energy to move your body:
Do something fun. Exercise psychology experts say that people are more likely to exercise if they like the activity.
Bring a friend. The social aspect may make the physical activity more enjoyable. And people are more likely to do something when others hold them accountable.
Don’t focus on weight loss. Weight loss is one of the health benefits of exercise. But if you focus on this too much, you might get discouraged if change is slow. And it can distract from the pleasure you get from simply moving your body.
Think of the benefits you’ll get today. Your energy, focus, mood, and sleep may all be a bit better today if you exercise.
Remind yourself that you’re practicing self-care. You’re improving your well-being with each session, and you should celebrate your progress.
Snyder's best advice for exercising is to do it with someone.
“Having a partner or friend to engage in physical activity can be a key to success,” he said. “You can rely on an accountability partner when your level of motivation is low."
Make it easier to exercise
You’re more likely to exercise if you make it easy to do. Here are some additional tips to fit physical activity into your life more easily:
Find ways to add movement to your day. Take the stairs, park your car farther away, or use your break time to walk through a park or neighborhood.
Make a short time commitment. Even brief exercise can lead to health changes. You can take a quick walk or dance to a couple of your favorite songs.
Turn it into a habit. If you plan exercise into your day rather than leaving it to chance, you’ll likely do it more often. It can help to do it at the same time every day, or connect it to an existing routine. Like going for a walk every day on your lunch break.
Distract yourself by listening to music or a podcast. This is helpful if you think routine exercise is boring.
Figure out what you like to do. Enjoyable physical activity will keep you coming back for more. Pay attention to the workouts and movements that feel good to you.
When should you skip a workout if you’re tired?
Even with all the benefits of doing exercise when you’re tired, there are times when it’s best to rest instead of pushing through the fatigue.
Lack of sleep
Exercise can help decrease the health risks associated with poor sleep. But getting both quality sleep and physical activity is best for optimal health. And if you’re sleep-deprived, you’re more likely to accidentally injure yourself. Inadequate sleep can also make you slower and decrease your strength. You may want to skip exercise if you have been missing a lot of sleep.
Illness
If you’re tired because you have an illness, you may need extra rest. It’s best not to exercise when you’re experiencing:
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Off balance or uncoordination
Chest pain
Shortness of breath (outside of what’s normal during exercise)
Extreme fatigue or body pain after physical movement
Or you may want to do gentler exercises like walking or basic yoga when you’re not feeling your best.
"Listen to your body's signals,” Snyder said. “Ongoing feelings of exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, or increased irritability can be signs that your body needs rest.”
He also added that “muscle weakness or dizziness are clear signs that you should prioritize rest to prevent potential health issues."
Even though studies show that exercise helps fatigue in people with chronic illness, check with your healthcare provider to make sure it’s safe. Ongoing fatigue that’s not explained should be checked out by a healthcare provider.
The bottom line
Exercise can be beneficial for someone who’s tired, especially when it’s caused by the stress of daily life, depression, or chronic illness. In these cases, exercise may help your energy, mood, focus, and sleep. It’s easier to motivate yourself when you make the activity enjoyable and convenient. Remember that exercise is a self-care strategy that can pay back more than what you put into it.
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References
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Charest, J., et al. (2022). Sleep and athletic performance: Impacts on physical performance, mental performance, injury risk and recovery, and mental health: An update. Sleep Medicine Clinics.
Huang, B., et al. (2022). Sleep and physical activity in relation to all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality risk. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Loy, B. D., et al. (2013). The effect of a single bout of exercise on energy and fatigue states: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health and Behavior.
Mura, G., et al. (2014). Exercise as an add-on strategy for the treatment of major depressive disorder: A systematic review. CNS Spectrums.
Nayor, M., et al. (2020). Metabolic architecture of acute exercise response in middle-aged adults in the community. Circulation.
Segar, M. L., et al. (2006). Go figure? Body-shape motives are associated with decreased physical activity participation among midlife women. Sex roles.
Toups, M., et al. (2017). Exercise is an effective treatment for positive valence symptoms in major depression. Journal of Affective Disorders.
Wender, C. L. A., et al. (2022). The effect of chronic exercise on energy and fatigue states: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Frontiers in Psychology.
