Exercising is causing more insomnia

**Palooka** · 04-14-2010, 01:30 AM

Can someone shed some light on this. I don't understand. For the last 3 weeks I've been working out again. Always in the past it is a sleep aid.

I'm not sure what is going on here?? I work out anywhere from 4pm and 6pm so it's not really late. I have read working out later at night can keep a person up....

My insomnia is worse now. The funny thing is that.... my muscles feel relaxed(you know sore, but relaxed) and my mind is stress free and I feel tired.... But I sleep worse on the days I work out!!! I don't get it.

It's really frustrating. Never dealt with this before so curious if anyone has experienced this. I know that it can wire you and your body requires less sleep...but not this less.! Even in the sunshine hasn't worked. *sigh*

TIA

**frugalfranny** · 04-14-2010, 01:32 AM

But have you tried working out earlier to see if that helps?

Also, when are you eating?...........and what.........if I eat too late I will have trouble sleeping.

**Luckybustert** · 04-14-2010, 01:42 AM

Yes, I've had this experience. Exercise late in the day (including sex...lol) revs me up and causes insomnia. I also get insomnia if I'm on the computer too late at night (already pushing my limit on this one tonight).

Also, I'm not sure how old you are, but with women beginning around the 40s, insomnia becomes more common. (If I remember correctly this is due to hormonal fluctuations.)

**Palooka** · 04-14-2010, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

But have you tried working out earlier to see if that helps?

Also, when are you eating?...........and what.........if I eat too late I will have trouble sleeping.

I would love to work out earlier if I could sleep at night. lol That's the problem. If I had it my way...I would love to do this around 9 am. If I have two hours of sleep the most, I'm taking a nap when the little one does.

I'm the opposite with eating. I don't eat late, but if I go to bed hungry, I can't sleep.

Trust me, it's not the eating here. This is a new pattern since I've been working out.

**Libby** · 04-14-2010, 02:04 AM

Palooka are you in my head?! I literally discussed this tonight with DF hahaha.

He explained this to me as I had mentioned that I wanted to go the gym after dinner but before bed. He said the best time to exercise is directly after work if you have a 9-5 type schedule and only if its a short'ish work out max 1-2 hrs with your bigger work out on the weekend when you have time to go earlier in the day.

The reason why we develop insomnia is b/c our bodies haven't had enough time to process/use up the endorphins produced from exercising. This gets more prevalent as we get older.

The snack thing - my dietitian advised having a tiny snack about 1/2-1hr before bed so you sleep through the night and do not wake up hungry or famished. But this also depends on when you last ate ie had dinner and how many hours between dinner and bedtime.

I'm not sure how much truth is in this - haven't had a chance to look this up myself but knowing DF and his OCD when it comes to health research...he's prob right. :/

**Palooka** · 04-14-2010, 02:58 AM

Originally Posted by Libby

Palooka are you in my head?! I literally discussed this tonight with DF hahaha.

He explained this to me as I had mentioned that I wanted to go the gym after dinner but before bed. He said the best time to exercise is directly after work if you have a 9-5 type schedule and only if its a short'ish work out max 1-2 hrs with your bigger work out on the weekend when you have time to go earlier in the day.

The reason why we develop insomnia is b/c our bodies haven't had enough time to process/use up the endorphins produced from exercising. This gets more prevalent as we get older.

The snack thing - my dietitian advised having a tiny snack about 1/2-1hr before bed so you sleep through the night and do not wake up hungry or famished. But this also depends on when you last ate ie had dinner and how many hours between dinner and bedtime.

I'm not sure how much truth is in this - haven't had a chance to look this up myself but knowing DF and his OCD when it comes to health research...he's prob right. :/

It wouldn't be the the first time I've gotten in some ones head. lol

I don't work..meaning I don't get a check, but I guarentee my services are nice.

The eating with me is not a problem...

**Nada.Leona** · 04-14-2010, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by Libby

I'm not sure how much truth is in this - haven't had a chance to look this up myself but knowing DF and his OCD when it comes to health research...he's prob right. :/

Nope, he's right.

(Don't you hate it when they're right?)

The human body is an amazing thing. When you exercise, your break down the muscles, which need to be repaired. Your body then begins pumping blood to the muscles to re-oxygenate them, and allow them to start building up again. This process takes time, and the heart will continue to pump blood through the system for quite some time afterwards. Also, since you have just started working out again, your body needs time to adapt and get used to the new program.

In this instance, you're probably better off doing a couple things:

1. If you've exercised before, do about 50% of what you think you can do. This will help you both avoid injury and give your body time to adjust to your new routine.

2. On days that you do your exercises, do something really relaxing that evening. Have a hot bath, ask your partner for a massage, read and listen to nice music, have some chamomile tea.

3. Watch what you're eating. Your body will be craving new foods now to supplement the energy you've used. You might notice you're eating more at meals or you're needing more sugar or starchy foods, like an extra scoop of macaroni or a couple cookies in the evening. Start phasing these kinds of things out and instead replace it with something small, like a couple crackers and cheese, or a stick of celery and peanut butter. What your body needs now is protein, not sugar, to help build muscles. So look to having a bit of tuna or a small half sandwich.

Hope that helps! Moving your exercises to earlier in the day would be better, most likely as well. You need sleep to be healthy. Your body requires that time to repair itself from the damage you inflicted on it the day before. If you're not sleeping and you think it's the insomnia, it's time to change something.

**Josephhgoins** · 04-14-2010, 10:51 AM

My uncle had this problem and finally went to the DR. His DR said it was because he wasn't relaxing enough in the evening. He was working, working out and then chores right until bed time. The DR. you have to give your body some time to just mellow out before bed.

He started watching tv for an hour before bed and it helped the problem greatly.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 04-14-2010, 11:01 AM

It's normal to have insomnia when you exercise beyond noon. I do my routine between 10 and 11am and last night, I was tired by 8:30. I slept from 9pm to 7:30am this morning.

The only time I ever exercised in the afternoon was when I was a kid and ran track. But when I ran track, I ran until I couldn't stay awake any more.

Age will have an effect upon how tired you are when you go to bed after exercising.

**Libby** · 04-14-2010, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by LadyNada

Nope, he's right.

(Don't you hate it when they're right?)

Dangnabgit!!!

I still love him regardless lol

**Russ** · 04-14-2010, 12:23 PM

See, you married Mr. Right. You just didn't know his first name was "Always" did you?

Have you tried some warm milk or...shoot, what was the name of that stuff??....melatonin?? I don't take any but I think thats the stuff to help you sleep.

**lparker** · 04-18-2010, 11:56 AM

Here's another rotten suggestion that worked for me before my back went out 7 years ago. Get up extra early & exercise first thing in the morning. I used to run 3-5 miles before breakfast and work. Kept me charged all day and I slept good at night. Now that my back is better and I'm changing my style of running, I'm going to go back to early mornings again.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 04-19-2010, 11:52 PM

I can agree with that. I used to run 3 miles in the Marines three days a week and I wasn't tired out until at least midnight. Then again, I was used to being up early and going to bed late.

I was never, ever tired during the day, though.

**Palooka** · 04-20-2010, 01:47 AM

Ugh, that is a rotten suggestion, but I hear ya! Just make myself go for it early even though not much sleep and maybe that will turn it around.

My goal now is 12 miles a week on the treadmill.

**cab54** · 04-26-2010, 11:37 AM

I have this problem also, with exercise, and it doesn't matter what time of day I work out. For some reason, it sort of 'revs' me up and while it gives me more energy for THAT day, I eventually burn out because I can't sleep that night, or the next, or the next.....

The harder I work out (like when I used to run), the worse it is. If I just take a casual walk (as opposed to a race-walk speed), I'm OK. But you don't lose weight or get very fit with a casual stroll. Such a dilemma!!

Wish I had an answer to this problem--for you and for me.