Most sleep sites advise you to exercise earlier in the day. Late afternoon or early evening are thought to be the best times, but never any later, and especially not right before retiring.
But, could the experts be wrong? The results of a study done in 1998 and published in the journal "Physiology and Behavior" belies the earlier belief. The test subjects, a group of college students, exercised either 90 or 30 minutes before bedtime and it had no effect on how long it took them to fall asleep or on how well they slept. Other studies had shown the same results.
Dr. Shawn D. Youngstedt at the University of South Carolina believes that, to the contrary, exercise before bedtime may even promote sleep. However, this may vary from person to person.
Should you exercise before going to bed? Why not give it a try? Vary your exercise times, judge how quickly you fall asleep and how well you sleep. Find out what works best for you.
No matter when you decide is the best time to exercise, try to exercise every day, even if it's only a walk around the block. Exercise is good for the heart and lungs, relieves stress and helps prevent obesity. Find out the best time for you to indulge, morning, afternoon or evening. Then get out and get moving.
