The exercise before bed debate
26-08-2012
Scientists love to disagree with each other, in fact it seems to be part of the job description. No sooner do you read one study that tells you something when you read about another study telling you the exact opposite. Take exercise before bed. There seems to be no end of proclamations from scientists about whether exercising before bed is helpful in your quest for sleep or whether it is will keep you awake.
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. While it is alright to do mild exercise near bed time, you should probably avoid extremely strenuous exercise in the evening as it will increase your heart rate and will flood your system with endorphins.
However, as with many things, there are people who find that going hard before bed suits them perfectly and they have no trouble getting to sleep. Then again, these could just be people who could fall asleep next to a jackhammer.
The reality is that it is best for you to work out how your body and mind operate and what suits your individual needs. If you need to exercise at night, try to do it as early as possible, or at least make the exercise relatively light.
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