Laurie Noreau – The Rumor Detector
Agence Science-Presse (www.sciencepresse.qc.ca)
People are often discouraged from doing any physical activity in the evening. The idea is that it will make it harder for you to get to sleep. However, nocturnal athletes can sleep soundly, as long as they respect certain rules, says the Rumor Detector.
Even if the morning remains the preferred time to play sports for half the sporting population, 25% of all Americans prefer to train at night.
Physical exercise causes body temperature to rise and the heartbeat to accelerate, which doesn’t help you to slumber. On the contrary, the body needs a cool atmosphere to sleep, around 18° C. Same thing for your heart rate: it can fall to 40 beats per minute during sleep.
Take Time
Nonetheless, rare is the athlete who tries to go to sleep immediately after a training session. That is the conclusion of studies on the subject. For example, a 2021 meta-analysis from Concordia University looked at 15 small studies to verify if an intense evening exercise session can influence sleep. They observed that evening exercise can have its benefits, but only if it is concluded at least two hours before bedtime. Any shorter than this, and participants had trouble getting to sleep, and slept for a shorter time period. It is noted that all 15 studies combined involved a modest number of participants.
A small Australian study concludes that it is best to complete any physical activity 90 minutes before slipping under the covers. This gives the body time to readjust its temperature. No differences in sleep times or cycles were detected between those who had practiced a moderate aerobic activity in the evening and those who hadn’t moved around at all. A 2019 Swiss meta-analysis also reached the conclusion that training at night doesn’t negatively affect sleep unless the exercise concludes less than an hour before bedtime.
Biological Clock
Another reason to leave the door open for night exercise is that we don’t all have the same internal clock. Some of us are early risers, whereas others like to stay up late. Some have their highest energy levels in the evening.
Therefore, night owls can move around in the evening without compromising their sleep because that corresponds with their natural sleep cycle. Those who get up at dawn may be more interested in exercising very early in the evening so as not to delay when they go to bed.
One thing is for certain: regardless of when you train, you will sleep better if you do some exercise than if you don’t do any.
In effect, regular cardiovascular exercise is beneficial to insomniacs, by improving the quality of their sleep and helping them to get to sleep faster. It also diminishes the severity of certain disorders, like sleep apnea. Regular exercise and sports can also reduce stress and anxiety.
Verdict
Moving around helps the quality of sleep, no matter what time you practice a sport. It is best to observe at least a 90-minute break between completing an exercise session and going to bed, to facilitate falling asleep.
Link to the Original Article: https://www.sciencepresse.qc.ca/actualite/detecteur-rumeurs/2023/07/11/entrainer-soir-peut-nuire-sommeil-depend
First seen in Reflet de Société No. 33-1, septembre-octobre (September-October) 2024, page 26
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