Perhaps one of the statements you’ve ever heard time and time again is that morning is the best time to exercise, which does make sense. However you are supposed to have it done before you get too engaged or other obligations arise. While morning workouts may be the best option for some people, others just find ti challenging to hop out of bed bright and early and squeeze in a trip to the gym. Despite the commonly-held belief that late-night exercises can make one too amped to rest, it seems that p.m. activity doesn’t necessarily equate to disturbed sleep.
The Benefits of Evening Exercise
A new study conducted by Australian researchers suggested that sleep won’t be directly impacted by something as energizing as high-intensity interval training. Participants who exercised from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. slept the same amount that night as when they worked out in the morning or afternoon. The early evening workouts, meanwhile, led to a reduction of the hormone ghrelin, which is linked to appetite. Therefore not only can you still sleep as well as ever, but you may feel less inclined to over-indulge at dinner.
3 Tips For Sticking To Your Late-Night Exercises
1. Rely on intrinsic motivation.
Although it brings good news to those who dislike a.m. workouts, one obstacle still remains, that is, you need to ensure you adhere to your exercise plan in practice even following a long and stressful working day. That’s when intrinsic motivation comes in. It is worth contemplating why workout matters to you. Will it make you happier and a better partner, or do you want to stay active with your kids or live long enough to see your grandchildren? Knowing the reason provides you with unswerving commitment to your evening workout.
2. Commit to your healthy habit.
Nonetheless, you cannot keep leaning on your willpower at the end of the day. Try to avoid telling yourself you are going to see how you feel after work, for never will you feel like exercising in this case. On the contrary, come up with a commitment ahead of time. For instance, you must work out on at 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays no matter what. After scheduling it, you will regard the evening exercise as a given rather than a choice you have to force yourself to make.
3. Seeka time slot that limits excuses.
Another helpful tip is to associate your workouts with certain events. How about attending a fitness class to which you can go immediately from your office? This is mainly to prevent you from heading back home right after work to turn on the TV or run errands. Thus you can link leaving for work with going to the gym, which is an essential component of making this a habit. These tools, together with the belief that a later workout won’t make you toss and turn for hours, are able to turn the biggest night owl into a routine exerciser.
Please be noted that this blog is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment but for educational purposes only. Always consult your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits or starting a new fitness routine.
