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Your daily fitness routine can significantly impact the quality of your sleep each night. This is particularly important as, in 2023, around 50 to 70 million people in the U.S. are estimated to be dealing with sleep disorders, and approximately one in three adults, roughly 84 million individuals, are not getting enough rest for optimal health and well-being. This is where your fitness routine can play a crucial role. Just like in many aspects of life, timing is key, which is why we consulted with a personal trainer to determine the ideal time to exercise for a restful night’s sleep.
How Regular Exercise Affects Sleep Quality
Research shows that establishing a regular exercise regimen can potentially increase total sleep time. In addition, scientific evidence proves that the more exercise you do in a given month, the better you’ll sleep.
“Exercising regularly can boost your sleep,” confirms Joey Jones, a certified personal trainer and the CEO at way-up.blog. “The science behind it? It lowers cortisol, boosts melatonin, increases sleep pressure.”
And we all know how important it is to get a restful night’s sleep! According to the Sleep Foundation, when you sleep, you’re giving your body and mind essential time to rest and recover from the day’s activities. Poor sleep quality can result in decreased physical activity levels throughout the day; lack of sleep can also cause irritability, fatigue, and decreased cognitive performance.
The Best Time of Day to Exercise for Restful Sleep
Jones thinks the sweet spot for workouts is between 4 to 7 p.m.
“This allows the body to cool down and prepare for a sleep dip, which, if timed right, will help you fall asleep,” he explains.
As previously stated, timing really is everything.
According to Jones, “Morning workouts go hand in hand with supporting your natural cortisol rhythm helping you fall asleep earlier. Late afternoon lifters will have better performance; this is due to their peaked body temps and test levels. Late-night guys are only going to disrupt their melatonin and have worse sleep.”
Needless to say, wherever you do, don’t put off your sweat sessions until later at night!
What’s a great exercise to focus on at night? Jones suggests a yoga flow to prep your body for dreamland.
“Yoga is known for calming the nerve system and for lowering cortisol, both of these factors help sleep,” he explains. “I recommend you plan your yoga routine for between 4 to 7 p.m.”
Alexa Mellardo
