Is It Bad to Exercise Before Bed? What 23 Studies Found
For most people, no. A 2019 review of 23 studies found that exercising in the evening did not harm sleep in healthy adults, and slightly increased deep sleep. The one exception was vigorous exercise ending less than an hour before bed, which might make it harder to fall asleep.
Key facts
- Evening exercise didn’t make it harder to fall asleep overall, and slightly increased deep sleep.
- Vigorous workouts that ended within 1 hour of bedtime might delay sleep and reduce sleep time.
- Regular exercise at any time of day is linked to better sleep.
- If late workouts keep you awake, finish them at least an hour before bed or make them gentler.
What the research found
In 2019, Jan Stutz and colleagues at ETH Zurich reviewed 23 studies that compared a single evening exercise session with no exercise in healthy adults, measuring sleep in the night that followed. They published their results in Sports Medicine.
| Measure | Effect of evening exercise |
|---|---|
| Time to fall asleep | No overall effect |
| Deep (slow-wave) sleep | Slightly more, about 1.3 percentage points |
| Time until first REM sleep | About 7.7 minutes later |
| Vigorous exercise ending ≤1 hour before bed | Might delay sleep and reduce total sleep and sleep efficiency |
The review covered single sessions of exercise rather than long-term habits, and most participants were young, fit men, so results may differ for other people.
Why intense workouts can keep you up
Hard exercise raises your heart rate and core body temperature and releases stress hormones such as adrenaline. These normally settle within an hour or so. Since your body temperature needs to fall for you to drift off, a hard workout right before bed can delay sleep. Easy to moderate exercise, like a walk, yoga or a gentle bike ride, doesn’t seem to have this effect.
What about the NHS advice?
Some health guidance, including the NHS insomnia page, suggests avoiding exercise within 4 hours of bed if you have trouble sleeping. That cautious advice is aimed at people with insomnia. For most people without sleep problems, the research suggests evening exercise is fine as long as very intense sessions finish at least an hour before bed.
Best times to exercise for sleep
| Time | Good for |
|---|---|
| Morning, outdoors | Morning daylight helps set your body clock, which can make you sleepy earlier in the evening |
| Afternoon | Body temperature and muscle performance usually peak, and there’s plenty of time to wind down |
| Evening | Fine for most people; keep intense sessions at least 1 hour before bed |
Tips for evening exercisers
- Finish vigorous workouts at least an hour before bed, and ideally earlier.
- Cool down with stretching or a walk.
- Take a lukewarm shower afterwards to help your body shed heat.
- Avoid pre-workout drinks with caffeine in the evening. Check with the caffeine cut-off calculator.
- Dim the lights afterwards and follow your usual wind-down routine.
Plan your bedtime around your training with the sleep calculator.
Sources
- Stutz J, Eiholzer R, Spengler CM. Effects of evening exercise on sleep in healthy participants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 2019
- NHS: Insomnia
- AASM Sleep Education: Healthy sleep habits
Frequently asked questions
Is it bad to work out at 9 PM?
Not for most people, as long as you finish intense exercise at least an hour before bed.
Does exercise help you sleep better?
Yes. Regular physical activity is linked to falling asleep faster and sleeping more deeply.
Is yoga before bed good?
Gentle yoga or stretching is unlikely to disturb sleep and may help you relax.
