Exercising at night makes your eyes wide open... Why can't you fall asleep?

After exercising late at night, I find it hard to sleep for no reason. I thought that vigorous exercise would make me tired and help me fall asleep easily, but sometimes I end up feeling wide awake. This is because the sympathetic nervous system is activated after exercise. So, when is the best time to exercise?

Exercising at night can cause sleep disturbances.

Especially during high-intensity exercises like strength training, the sympathetic nervous system becomes activated. Additionally, for the body to fall asleep, body temperature needs to drop by 0.5 to 1 degree Celsius, but intense exercise actually expels energy from our body and activates the sympathetic nervous system along with an increase in body temperature. Therefore, it is recommended to finish exercising at least four hours before bedtime. To sleep well, the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body, needs to be activated.

If you need to exercise at night due to your schedule, relax your mind and body by doing yoga, qigong, stretching, or listening to calming classical music after exercise. Taking a lukewarm shower 30 minutes before sleep to lower your body temperature also helps promote restful sleep. Just before sleeping, try spraying lavender, chamomile, or marjoram oil near your pillow. Aromatherapy helps relax muscles and calm nerves, aiding in better sleep. You can put 2-3 drops of essential oil on a handkerchief or tissue and place it near your pillow.

Actually, to fall asleep more easily, try exercising early in the morning or before work.

The earlier you wake up in the morning to exercise, the better you can sleep at night. Additionally, taking a shower after morning exercise helps brain health. According to research by Professor Shelley Carlson of Harvard University's Psychology Department, morning showers stimulate and wake up the brain. Cold showers in the morning after a good night's sleep help relax tense muscles, reduce stress, and stimulate the brain to improve cognitive abilities.

Is there a specific time that is best for strength training?

It is recommended to perform strength training from 2 PM onwards into the early evening. During this time, body temperature rises, and reflexes and pulse rates are at their most active. Exercising with strength training at this time can yield high effectiveness. Additionally, energy levels generally increase in the afternoon, allowing for more efficient muscle training. Strength training is excellent for boosting metabolism, as the metabolic rate increases with muscle mass. Therefore, increasing muscle mass through strength training can help burn more calories in daily life. Exercising in the afternoon is also very effective for stress relief. When strength training is done in the afternoon, neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine are released, helping to relax the mind.