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Why do I have trouble sleeping after exercise?

112 Answers
Last Updated: 11/09/2020 at 5:22pm
Why do I have trouble sleeping after exercise?
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I have helped and am helping people cope with loss, divorce, anguish and parenting. Depression is also a major issue that comes up.

Top Rated Answers
fantasticUnicorn5
October 25th, 2015 11:03am
Because of the tensed muscles which are sore by the workout and physical strain on the body. It might be a result of the fatigue.
Lynne132
October 25th, 2015 7:03pm
In the last three months of pregnancy women may have difficulty sleeping, due to stress, back ache..
jasperblume
October 28th, 2015 3:08am
Your heart rate is faster than normal, your body takes a while to cool down. You also release endorphin when you exercise which can give you a high and make it harder to calm down and fall asleep.
wonderfulParadise33
October 28th, 2015 5:37am
This is usually your body reacting to an increase in adrenalin and cortisol which are the chemicals released when you exercise. It would probably help to exercise about 3 hours before going to bed to allow yourself to wind down before trying to sleep.
Mydogted18
October 28th, 2015 4:37pm
Its simply because you have exercised too soon before bed, perhaps you've gone for run too late at night and your wide awake physically and mentally
electricSnowflake82
October 29th, 2015 1:53am
You have trouble sleeping after exercise because exercising releases endorphins that give you energy and they often take a wile to wear off to the point where you can mentally wind down
DelicateFlower22
October 29th, 2015 6:36am
My body be very sore and by me being in pain I can't get the rest I need so I toss and turn at night
Anonymous
October 29th, 2015 12:49pm
Well if you just excercised your body is gonna be alll worked up so try relaxing before you go to bed or taking a nice bath or shower. Than go to bed. Another anwser is that your all sweaty so its uncomfortable to sleep...again just shower.
HopefulJet61
October 29th, 2015 2:36pm
Having trouble sleeping after excercise can be caused by the adrenaline you may have after working out in the evenings.
Anonymous
October 29th, 2015 8:14pm
It sounds like you are exhausted and want to know how to increase your ability to sleep at night. You could feel exhausted after exercise and that is quite common. When you exercise could be too close to when you sleep.
slowTime
October 31st, 2015 12:44am
What kind of exercise? If it is very active, your body is full of energy therefore it is hard to fall asleep, it wants to be active.
Anonymous
October 31st, 2015 6:56pm
Probably due to the excitement caused by working out. The body must have built up excess energy to spend for the immediate experience. Cooling down for a little while can help you sleep.
Anonymous
November 1st, 2015 7:27pm
I don't really do exercise, but whenever i used to (in high school), my mind always felt active but my body felt weak, so when I was just lying there, my mind was too alert to relax.
RachelDahl
November 4th, 2015 6:18am
My heart rate is usually really high, and I'm just so hyped up. When I lay down, I then try to breath in and out really slow to calm my heart rate.
cayadele
November 4th, 2015 9:08pm
When you exercise, you increase your endorphins and this gives you a jolt of energy. Usually, this ends up helping you get a better nights sleep because naturally you crash later on. However, trying to sleep immediately after a work out can be troublesome because your body has just experienced a fresh rush of endorphins. I would recommend leaving a good space of time between work outs and bed time. This gives your body a chance to wind down and come down from the "natural high" of working out.
Anonymous
November 6th, 2015 2:14am
When you've just exercised there's usually a high amount of adrenaline in your blood which keeps you awake. Try relaxing for an hour before going to bed after exercise!
tastefulhamster
November 6th, 2015 3:08pm
Exercise boosts production of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) that make you more alert and awake, even if you feel tired afterwards! Make sure you leave a few hours between exercising and sleeping to help your body relax and get ready for rest.
energizingFireworks50
November 6th, 2015 4:47pm
Your sympathetic nervous system is activated along with endorphins that halt the flow of melatonin. When you exercise those chemicals keep you awake and it is highly recommended not to an exercise for up to two hour before you want to sleep
Anonymous
November 7th, 2015 6:31pm
Excercise floods your body with chemicals that perhaps keep you from sleeping. Why not excercise earlier in the day instead?
Thehealer88
November 11th, 2015 3:34pm
your adrenaline is pumping and your heart rate is elevated after exercise. the best time to exercise is first thing in the morning. you'll have more energy for the day as well as not having to worry about sleep deprivation
joyousNature19
November 13th, 2015 3:22pm
Because your body is still hype!!!! :) but just relax your musussles and try meditating and closing your eyes And be in a relax environment
SydneyLouise
November 14th, 2015 6:23pm
It might be because, for some people, exercising gives an energy boost. You may just be too energized to sleep :) Try taking a hot shower or practicing other relaxation techniques if you need to sleep.
Anonymous
November 15th, 2015 1:08am
Your adrenaline may be pumping and affecting sleep! Try to calm down after exercise by drinking something warm
HelpingHand55
November 15th, 2015 10:54am
some people faced trouble sleeping after exercise because there brain get alert more then before because during the exercise our blood circulation increases more to brain and we get freshness, study also said sweat of stress is the juice for brain, our brain become more active after exercise whther body tired or not, so some people face trouble sleeping after exercise
Exellisten2012
November 15th, 2015 11:54pm
After a good workout your heart rate is much higher and your body is much more active. It puts your body in a hyper state that take a couple hours to calm down.
PieceoftheUniverse
November 18th, 2015 12:54pm
Because there exist a lot of hormones in your body/blood after you have exercised (adrenaline etc ). These hormones keep you awake and it takes a while before they leave your blood. Those hormones are the same as during a stress respons, the only difference is that they do not come with negative emotions. It's really interesting:) I think every body is different, but it's the best to not exercise 2/3 hours before you go to bed (maybe some light yoga or something like that would be okay).
Anonymous
November 18th, 2015 10:07pm
Because your body has just been going in different directions and it needs some time to cool off....
Anonymous
November 19th, 2015 3:09pm
It is possible that you've got an adrenaline boost from the exercise which makes it more difficult to sleep. Exercises that take a lot of energy should be tiring. It really depends on the exercise. You can always ask a gym worker or someone specialized in exercising and health matters about this.
Ed78
November 19th, 2015 11:22pm
Because your body heats up quickly when you do cardio exercise (which is where the energy from your burned calories goes .... hurrah !) but takes a lot longer to cool down, like quite a few hours. You can't sleep whilst that heat is still in your body.
brighteyesO71
November 20th, 2015 12:38pm
Well, usually because of left over excess heart rate and pumping adrenaline from the workout, I would imagine.