Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the most trusted sources for health-related problems, says, “Exercise is essential for your overall well-being and health.” When performed consistently in a routine, the smallest amount of physical activity can improve your cognitive function and mood, decrease the risk of diseases and alleviate anxiety. Studies also prove that engaging in physical activity helps you sleep better. However, how and when you exercise affects your sleep differently.
Additionally, those who love exercising should ensure they get a good night’s sleep, as it allows their body to recover from the intense workout session. Resting after a workout strengthens your tissues and muscles, which helps avoid exercise-related injuries and fatigue. Conversely, poor sleep makes you feel lethargic and lowers your physical activity levels.
The connection between sleep and fitness has been thoroughly investigated. Studies prove that exercising can help you prevent sleep-related problems. Let’s say that you like to exercise before bed. While there’s no concrete evidence this is bad for your body, the workout will increase your core body temperature, which will drop after 30 minutes. This decline facilitates sleepiness and allows you to set your circadian rhythm straight.
Is Exercising Before Bed Harmful?
This has been a highly debated topic for years. According to traditional sleep hygiene, intensive exercise 3 hours before bedtime impacts sleep negatively. It can increase your body temperature, adrenaline levels, and heart rate. However, more studies need to be done to prove these effects of exercising late.
According to a study published in the journal of Sleep and Biological Rhythms, people who exercise after 8 P.M. fall asleep quickly and easily enter deep sleep. The study also revealed that people who exercise at 4 P.M. feel the same effects and wake up feeling well-rested. In both cases, the flexibility mobility workout differed from person to person.
No Rest, No Gain – Sleep Is Necessary for Recovery
It all comes down to recovery. One of the biggest reasons why rest is important after a flexibility mobility workout is that it prevents injury. It’s important to give time to your muscles to heal. Every moment during a workout, your muscles stretch, and a tiny tear occurs. This is crucial to bulking up and getting stronger.
However, you risk getting injured if you keep working out, even in pain. So, our advice is ― don’t push it!
Rest, in this case, doesn’t necessarily mean sleep. There are plenty of ways to optimize it for athletic success. For example, you need to refill your energy store. Muscle glycogen is a form of carbohydrate used during exercise. It fuels your muscles. In the recovery phase, you need to eat something healthy to have energy for the next workout.
If the pain is unbearable after a workout, it’s better to avoid cardio workouts. You can either take a week’s rest or practice yoga. When you get back into the routine, exercise on alternate days until you fully recover.
Post-Exercise Stretching
Stretching allows you to prevent any injuries pre-workout. Some people skip this crucial step and go straight to hardcore exercises. Since your muscles aren’t flexible enough to assume the pose, you feel sorer after a workout.
For athletes, stretching cools down the muscles slowly. As a result, you don’t experience that unpleasant feeling of joint stiffness and muscle tightness. Stretches make your muscles pliable, and including them in your daily practice will improve your range of motion.
Next up is a soft tissue massage from a professional masseuse. This type of massage focuses on firm and slow strokes to your tissue’s and muscle’s deep layers. It also improves your circulatory system, reduces inflammation, and realigns muscle tension.
After an intense workout, lymphatic fluid builds in your muscles. This is the most common cause of cramps and muscle stiffness. A massage helps mobilize this fluid, flushing it from your body. If you are on a budget, you can opt for rollers. This is a device with thick groves that allows you to target painful connective tissue. All you need to do is place it on the ground and roll over it.
Recovery and rest don’t mean you shut down completely, being a couch potato. If you feel that your long run depleted all your energy, slow down your place and take a short walk. One of the best ways to boost recovery is to do something relaxing, such as taking a dip in the swimming pool.
When was the last time you took a break from your exercise routine and did something fun to relax your body and mind? Staying balanced is crucial for athletic performance. Training rigorously day and night will only injure you. This is why we recommend signing up for fitness classes in NYC.
FitEngine offers workout yoga in NYC. They provide affordable fitness classes to athletes and exercise enthusiasts. Check out their workout reviews to know what people are saying about their classes. The company also provides fitness products for performance and efficiency. Their fitness experts have been teaching yoga, Pilates, and other forms of exercise for more than 40 years. Click here to book a class, or call 888-610-4756 for any queries.
