Exercise before bed - yay or nay?

[firelight1210]

I'm a lurker here and have a question.

I work REALLY early in the morning - I have to be at work at 6am and I live an hour away. So, if I just get up and get ready (with no workout in the morning) I get up at 3:30 (I do take my dog out). Obviously, that's early. I was doing really well in January getting up at 2am to exercise, but I think that wasn't sustainable because I got sick and haven't been able to get back into it.

For me, I always felt I had to do it in the morning or it wouldn't get done and/or it was the best way to start a morning. However, I just can't do it, but want to get fit.

My h says working out before bed is not good because it wakes you up and you won't sleep very well, but I think that's the best time that will work for me. I live in an area that when I get home this time of year it's in the 80s and will only be getting hotter, so afternoon workouts sound miserable.

What are your thoughts?

TL;DR:

Can't work out in morning or afternoon, is working out before bed detrimental to sleep?

[mrshandy]

Personally, the idea of waking up at 2AM to workout sounds absolutely nuts to me.

With your schedule, I would definitely do evening/afternoon workouts. I usually run around 7-7:30 on Mondays and Tuesdays. I've always been an evening runner since I'm not willing to get up earlier than 5:45 to workout.

I sleep great despite the baby waking me up 1-2 times a night. I usually wind down after my run by taking a shower and reading in bed.

Sometimes I wish I could be a morning runner since it is nice to have it done with, but I just can't fathom getting up earlier and the mornings are a lot more hectic with two kids since I'm never sure when the baby will wake up to nurse.

[no0b]

I think it really depends. I know some people that do that and they are fine. I get what you are saying. I'm out of the house before 6am and with my dog the mornings are not feasible. I try and sneak in a workout immediately after I get home before work and right before dinner. I find about an hour after my workout I'm wiped, and I fall right to sleep . I'm interested to see what some of the others have to say in regards to this.

[gt7301b]

If it is the only time that you can workout it is better than sitting on the couch watching TV. I think that sometimes you just have to be flexible and do what works best with your schedule and allows you to get a workout in.

[wambam]

2:00am?! Are you kidding me?! Please tell me you were going to bed at 8:00.

Workout before bed. You need the sleep if you're getting up at 3:30 every day. Seriously.

[lauren170]

You have to do what you have to do. I was always a huge fan of mornings - get it done and feel great the rest of the day. I swear it also helped me eat less because I was feeling good and didn't want to ruin that.

However, now that I have a baby the only time I can do it is at night. My H works early too so I have to be home with the baby all morning. It took about a month to adjust to nights, at first I always felt too tired to get out there. Now my body's starting to crave it at night and its gotten a little easier. I workout 7-8pm, then eat dinner, and have no problem falling asleep.

[firelight1210]

Apr 15, 2014 7:26:28 GMT -5 wambam said:

2:00am?! Are you kidding me?! Please tell me you were going to bed at 8:00.

Workout before bed. You need the sleep if you're getting up at 3:30 every day. Seriously.

Oh yeah, I was going to bed at 7pm, lol. I have no life during the week.

I will give it a whirl and see how that goes. I'm worried about eating dinner and then working out - if i eat at like 4:30 and then work out around 6:30-7, that should be okay?

[wambam]

Apr 15, 2014 7:36:53 GMT -5 firelight1210 said:

Apr 15, 2014 7:26:28 GMT -5 wambam said:

2:00am?! Are you kidding me?! Please tell me you were going to bed at 8:00.

Workout before bed. You need the sleep if you're getting up at 3:30 every day. Seriously.

Oh yeah, I was going to bed at 7pm, lol. I have no life during the week.

I will give it a whirl and see how that goes. I'm worried about eating dinner and then working out - if i eat at like 4:30 and then work out around 6:30-7, that should be okay?

If it were me, I'd workout then eat. But I really don't like working out after eating.

[clseale]

I couldn't work out before bed. Hell, if my run ends at 8:00PM, I have a hard time going to bed before 11:00. This FL runner is strongly in the camp of, you'll get used to the heat, do it in the afternoon/early evening. However, if before bed works for you, there's nothing wrong with that, I just couldn't do it.

I'm not even touching this 2AM nonsense, because, no. Nope. LOL. Not an option. Not happening.

ETA: ditto wambam. Workout at 4:30, dinner after that.

[foundmylazybum]

Strong sleep science shows that working out within 2 hours of going to bed disrupts sleep cycles. You may feel like you are sleeping fine, but the quality of sleep you get isnt the best.

also..when it comes to sleep, there really arent any special snowflakes. Your body doesnt adjust over time.

The most ideal option would be to brave the heat and work out earlier.

[foundmylazybum]

Strong sleep science shows that working out within 2 hours of going to bed disrupts sleep cycles. You may feel like you are sleeping fine, but the quality of sleep you get isnt the best.

also..when it comes to sleep, there really arent any special snowflakes. Your body doesnt adjust over time.

The most ideal option would be to brave the heat and work out earlier.

[emilyinchile]

Try it out. If you find that you're wired, try afternoons instead and see if you can get used to the heat. Like others have said, I'd workout before eating, but you also clearly have a very different schedule from me, so maybe that doesn't work for you. I usually need about an hour after I get home from a nighttime workout to wind down, but then I have no problem sleeping.

[shorewife]

I normally don't work out in the evenings, but in the summer I run a 5k race series that starts at 6:45pm. I notice that the first few weeks of that I have trouble falling asleep but I do adjust. Also working out in the heat can be miserable but you also get somewhat used to it so you can try to manage that too if you have trouble falling asleep working out any later.

[taratru]

Can you do your workout before you get home after work? I know I have a very hard time getting back out once I'm home, and the longer I wait, the harder it is.

If you can't make it part of your work day, I'd head out immediately after getting home (before dinner). Change into your workout clothes, eat a light snack on the way out of work, and go.

[firelight1210]

I do my workouts at home (Fitness Blender every other day and C25K on the off days), so there's really nothing for me to be able to do on my way home. I think that I'll just have to suck it up and try it in the heat... Oof.

Thanks for all the feedback!

[runblondie26]

Apr 15, 2014 7:36:53 GMT -5 firelight1210 said:

Oh yeah, I was going to bed at 7pm, lol. I have no life during the week.

I will give it a whirl and see how that goes. I'm worried about eating dinner and then working out - if i eat at like 4:30 and then work out around 6:30-7, that should be okay?

You have some dedication!

Honestly, I'd probably stick with the 2am workout. You've already accounted for the early wake-up by having an early bedtime. While I don't enjoy the waking up part (usually 4am for me), I do like having my workout completed before the rest my day really begins.

A good workout energizes me, so it's hard to wind down immediately for bedtime. Also, I can't eat before a workout, but feel ready for a nice meal a short while afterwards.

It might sound a little kooky to others, but nothing wrong with 2am if that works with the rest of your schedule.

[jordylee]

My routine during the workweek has been come home, have a banana, change, workout, then make dinner when I get home. If I wait until after dinner to workout, I have a hard time winding down for the night. Another bonus is that when I eat dinner right after working out, I tend to make better choices because I don't want to feel like I undid my workout that I just finished.

[sadlebred]

I live in the South. It's hot. You get used to the heat. I cannot and will not get up at 4:00 am to workout. I ride after work in the heat. You adapt.

[beachygal]

I use to do a Masters swim class that went from 8:45-9:45pm. I slept like baby. It wasn't for me longterm (I had some big time issues with motivation that late!), but many others do it and love it. And I agree with the pp who said it is better than TV on the couch.

[Deleted]

Everyone is different. Give it a try and see how you feel!

[katyintx]

Is there any possibility that you can work out during lunch? I'm guessing no, otherwise you would've probably mentioned it, but does there happen to be a gym close by or anything?

[thom]

You are amazing . 2 am is terrifying to me. It sounds like your body had a hard time with it eventually because you got sick, but I wonder if it was just because of cold/flu season?

I can workout before bed on occasion, but I feel like doing so every day would be hard. Maybe a balance of morning, afternoon, evening depending on the weather & how much sleep you got is the right thing?

Though I will say if you are getting up the same time everyday it would be easier for your body to adapt & make early morning a habit. Is there anything you could cut from your morning routine so you get up at say, 2:45, workout until 3:30-3:45, and still be ready to leave by 5:00?

These are just my random thoughts. Good luck figuring this out. I'm impressed by your dedication!!

[suebee]

I have worked out later in the day and slept fine. Any workout is better than none. Good luck with that schedule.

[Susie]

I workout in the evening most weeknights. It's fine. I eat dinner after I finish. It's only really a sleep problem if I finish later than 8 or 9pm.

[bluedaisyus]

I usually get my weekday workouts in late. Thursdays I meet my running group at 6:30pm, but the other days I'm usually getting it in at home after my 4yo goes to bed. I wish I could workout in the mornings but I'm not a morning person, and my wife leaves for work EARLY (like she's started work by the time my alarm even goes off), so even if I were to get up earlier it'd be hard to get them in since I'm on solo kid duty. That works for DVDs, but not so much for runs unless I want to be stuck on the treadmill all the time and...well, I don't want to get a running stroller since that's my time for myself.

I get the heat being an issue, but if the early morning isn't working for you I think a 4:30 workout sounds the best to me. That gives you time to eat and wind down after with plenty of time before you'd need to go to bed. How many days a week are you exercising? Can you workout both weekend days so you can get it done in the morning and have your rest day(s) during the week?

[dragonfly08]

It's definitely worth trying. Everyone is different...I personally can't work out hard right before bed, but can definitely fit it in as long as there's an hour or more between when I finish and lights out. DH, on the other hand, can put in a good treadmill workout, hit the shower, roll immediately into bed and sleep like a baby.