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Working Out 3 Hours Before Bedtime May Cause Sleep Disruption In Older Adults, Study
If you are planning to get fit, there is a specific time that you must follow whilst keeping in mind the timings which are not recommended for exercise. This should be followed regardless of a person's age but, studies state that older people should especially not exercise three hours before bedtime.
It is important that older adults maintain a proper routine. They should eat at the right time, nap at the right time and also exercise at the right time. Doing these activities at the wrong time will only disrupt their routine and they may not get good sleep. Adults who are over 50 already have trouble sleeping for long hours. Some people experience this because of their habit of constantly working while others may have trouble because of health problems like pain, arthritis, insomnia, etc. These problems already hinder their sleep and if they exercise at the wrong time, it will definitely hamper them even more. At this is doctors recommend them to get at least 8 hours of sleep. This is essential for good health and longevity.
Although experts and studies may state that exercising at any time of the day is good for health but, there is one timing everyone must avoid and that is two to three hours before going to bed. Experts do not recommend to end the day with an intense workout. This is actually recommend before you start your day.
The first negetive impact of this will be on your sleep cycle. According to a study published in the Journal European Journal of Applied Physiology, the night time is the time when our body and brain tells us that it is time to call it a day, it is time for us to rest and it is time for us to let our organs rest. If you end up doing an intense workout right when it is time to sleep, your body and organs will get pumped up and will become energized. This is the opposite of how you should be feeling at 10 pm or 11 pm in the night. The hormone rush and adrenaline rush will not let you sleep and this will leave you tossing and turning in bed.
When we exercise, the energy that is generated through it lasts for a long time, so it is very much possible that you might stay up, wide awake until dawn. This, means you will be tired and exhausted during the day when you are actually supposed to be feeling all the energy, your sleep cycle will get messed up, you productivity will be low, your overall health will suffer because of lack of sleep.
As mentioned earlier, sleep problems among older adults are already very common. Moreover, while you may have heard over the years that older people need less sleep in general, that adage is now considered a myth. According to the report published in the National Institute on Aging, it is recommended older adults get the same amount of daily sleep as their younger counterparts which is, 7 to 9 hours.