Photo of Sergio Miller

Does exercise before bedtime affect my sleep?

In order to live a healthy life it is important to give your body enough exercise to get through the toughest challenges of the day.

While there are many who prefer starting their day with a good solid workout, others unfortunately do not have the time. With the numerous tasks that involve taking your child to school, and getting things organized for work, during the evening may sometimes be the only time some people have to fit in a good workout.

While many experts in the past have often recommended no exercise in the evening as it negatively affects one’s sleep hygiene, a new study published by Harvard Health reveals that this is not always the case.

In 2018 researchers examined 23 studies on the quality of sleep of healthy people who worked out at night and others who did not.

Their findings revealed that not only did evening exercise not affect sleep, it seemed to help people fall asleep faster and spend more time in deep sleep.

However, those who did high-intensity exercise — such as interval training — less than one hour before bedtime took longer to fall asleep and had poorer sleep quality.

Meanwhile, Sleep Center – an organisation that focuses on providing individuals with quality sleep -share these sentiments and adds that this is due to the fact that vigorous exercise raises your body temperature, heart rate, and adrenaline levels.

It is therefore highly recommended that you either do your high intensity training an hour and a half before bedtime or opt for a low intensity training, as this can be beneficial for falling asleep easier and giving you a good stretch and nights rest.

Also see: Why you should not exercise on an empty stomach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tony Forbes calls on musicians to help complete AKA-dedicated song

Tony Forbes has appealed to singers and rappers to help him complete a deeply personal song dedicated to his late son, rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes. Also see: Tony Forbes speaks on AKA’s released text messages with Tembe family lawyer In an emotional message, Tony opened up about his ongoing grief, revealing that he has been […]

Read more...

‘Celebrity Come Dine With Me South Africa’: Meet the first 4 hosts

South Africa’s first-ever celebrity season of Celebrity Come Dine With Me South Africa is set to bring laughter, drama and plenty of dinner table competition when it premieres later this month. Also see: ‘Come Dine With Me South Africa’ makes a comeback with celebrities The popular cooking and entertainment format will launch with a special […]

Read more...