Health

Stop Working Out Before Bed: Here’s Why It’s Hurting Your Sleep!

2025-04-16

Author: Ying

After a long day of work, a sluggish commute, and an endless dinner prep (you promised yourself you'd skip takeout), it’s tempting to squeeze in a late-night workout. But hold on—recent research has some alarming news: sweating it out right before sleep could be sabotaging your nightly rest!

A comprehensive study involving 14,689 participants over the course of a year unveiled stunning findings. Exercising within four hours of bedtime is linked to longer time to fall asleep, reduced overall sleep duration, poorer sleep quality, and even an increased nighttime heart rate. All of these factors typically come with potential health risks.

"Intense late-night workouts can leave your body in a heightened state of alertness, which is why health experts have long warned against exercising too close to bedtime," explained Josh Leota from Monash University’s School of Psychological Sciences in a university statement. This evidence suggests that your evening fitness routine might not be as beneficial as you thought!

Previous studies have challenged the idea that nighttime workouts disrupt sleep; however, Leota points out that those studies often relied on small sample sizes and artificial lab conditions. They rarely took into account the rigorous physical demands that come with high-intensity exercises.

To clarify this issue, Leota and his colleagues published a fresh study in *Nature Communications*, which utilized advanced biometric sensors to monitor participants’ exercise, sleep, and heart activity. Collecting data from four million nights, they examined the effects of late workouts on sleep quality.

Taking into account variables like age, gender, fitness level, and previous night's sleep, the results were crystal clear: intense workouts just before bed do compromise sleep health.

Senior author Elise Facer-Childs also from Monash University, noted, "Evening sessions that demand high cardiovascular effort can interfere with sleep health, resting heart rates, and heart rate variability, disrupting the crucial recovery process."

So what constitutes a "strenuous" workout? Think of activities that leave your heart racing, like high-intensity interval training, long-distance running, or intense sports matches. If you can’t resist a workout before bed, consider opting for gentler activities like light jogging or swimming to maintain your sleep quality.

The implications of this study are paramount—not only for your fitness regime but for your overall sleep health. Understanding how late-night workouts affect your rest can empower you to make better choices for restorative sleep.