Sleep-athon

How’s that New Year’s resolution working out – NOT?

This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.

I know, I know – we vowed to exercise more this year! But our days are hectic – who has the time? Exercising at night might be the only option. But does working out before bedtime affect your sleep?

Jan Stutz from E-T-H Zurich combed through previous research to find out. His team looked at studies that correlate evening exercises with sleep quality. They also considered the workout intensity and how long before bedtime it was done.

What did they learn?

Easy to moderate exercise at night – such as a long, easy run or bike ride — helps people sleep better and deeper than NOT working out.

On the other hand, folks who do high intensity workouts immediately before bed have a HARDER time falling asleep. Stutz thinks it’s because they don’t have time to recover from the intense exercise before sleeping. The body is still hyped up!

So for a good night’s sleep – lace up those sneakers for an easy jog. But first – just a little more Netflix?