While experts suggest avoiding vigorous exercise within an hour of bedtime (it raises heart rate, body temperature and adrenaline), stretching and meditative movement like yoga has been found to improve sleep quality.
Traditionally, experts have recommended not exercising at night as part of good sleep hygiene. However, a small study, published in Sports Medicine suggests that some people can exercise in the evening as long as they avoid vigorous activity for at least one hour before bedtime.
Exercising before bed can be great for targeting belly fat, as it enhances your metabolic rate, and promotes fat loss while you sleep. Engaging in light to moderate exercises like planks, leg raises, and bicycle crunches can activate core muscles, improving overall body composition without disrupting sleep patterns.
Engaging in regular physical activities like yoga, brisk walking, and strength training can significantly improve sleep quality. These exercises help reduce stress and anxiety, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.
Yoga is one of the best workouts you can do at night. Its deep stretching sessions and series of calming poses are perfect for unwinding and preparing your body for a good night's rest. Try the Child's Pose to release tension in your lower back, especially after a long day of sitting.
Other than timing, the effectiveness of physical activity in improving sleep quality is influenced by various factors, such as type and duration. Studies have suggested that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, strength training, and mind-body physical exercises like yoga and tai chi may improve sleep quality [51].
There's even evidence that it might help you sleep better. That said, research doesn't currently support that exercising before bed will help you lose weight or burn belly fat for the long term any better than exercising at another time of day.
Working out too late in the day can leave you feeling energized and stimulated right before bed and delay your transition to sleep. Similar to taking a hot bath, exercise can negatively impact your sleep quality by raising your body temperature. It is recommended that you exercise no later than three hours before bed.
Relaxing activities — like listening to music, meditating, or reading a book — can clear your mind and help you prepare for sleep. If you can't get comfortable before bed, try taking a warm bath or practicing progressive muscle relaxation to help your body unwind.
Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.
If you're wondering about weight gain from sleeping post-exercise, rest assured that sleep is a crucial part of recovery and does not directly lead to weight gain. Getting adequate sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle and can contribute to overall well-being, including weight management.
Keeping all those factors in mind, Samuel says you should be able to work up to three sets of 20 to 25 pushups a day, if you really want to. Sure, you might hear from guys who double or even triple that number—but their reps aren't going to be as effective as yours in the long run.
One of the best exercises for improving sleep quality is squatting. Squatting is a full-body exercise that can help strengthen your core muscles, increase flexibility, and improve balance. Additionally, squatting can help reduce stress levels, which can contribute to better sleep.
What's the best time to stop eating before bed? It's best to stop eating about three hours before going to bed. That allows plenty of time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won't disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won't go to bed feeling hungry.
For example, power lifting or an active yoga class can elevate your heart rate, helping to create the biological processes in the brain and body that contribute to better quality sleep, she says.
In general, it is fine to work out at any time of day. That said, some researchers suggest that you should stop exercising at least 90 minutes before sleep. This time allows heart rate to slow down and body temperature to return to normal.
Cut out caffeine 10 hours before bed. Don't eat or drink alcohol 3 hours before bed. Stop working 2 hours before bed. Get away from your screens 2 hours before bed.
“Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase the amount of slow wave sleep, meaning deep sleep,” says Bowman. But this doesn't mean scheduling it right next to bedtime. Bowman recommends finishing any cardio or aerobic routine at least 1 to 2 hours before you go to bed.
do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week. spread exercise evenly over 4 to 5 days a week, or every day. reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity.
Overall, the experts agree: Exercising in the morning is the best time of day to work out for logistical, effective and health reasons. When it comes to weight loss, a 2023 study published in the journal Obesity found exercising between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. could help.