How does an evening jog affect well-being and quality of sleep?

It is difficult for a working person to find time for a morning jog, and it is even more difficult to get up a few hours earlier to stretch, jog and get ready for work. Only a few people are able to accomplish such feats on a regular basis.

And in the evening after work or study, you can safely go for a run and at the same time get rid of the negative emotions accumulated during the day. But many people wonder whether they will be able to sleep after such a long physical activity.

Olga Begasheva

somnologist

Tells about the pros and cons of jogging before bedtime.

Who is suitable for evening jogging?

The human body is best prepared for physical activity from about 17:00 and works in this way until 20:00-21:00. This is because in the first half of the day our brain and internal organs are busy restoring energy after a night’s sleep.

By evening, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are already working comfortably. Muscles are at their peak tone, and tendons and ligaments are maximally warmed up because we have been moving and loading our legs during the day. Evening runs are most suitable for people training endurance, speed and leg muscle strength.

If you’ve observed fatigue, slowness and a desire to lie down after morning workouts or jogs – you have low dopamine levels and an inversion of circadian rhythms. This means that it is better for you to avoid stressing your body in the morning. Sluggishness after a morning workout occurs because you don’t have a clear regimen and there is no cortisol release in the morning, which makes us active in the early hours.

What are the benefits of evening running?

Running at the crack of dawn is great, but there are plenty of benefits to evening jogging too.

• You’ll find it easier to tolerate the exertion. Strength and stamina increase towards the end of the day. In the evening, your body makes better use of the oxygen that goes to your muscles, which means you can run longer distances.

• You will be more relaxed. If you’re stressed throughout the day, all of your body’s systems are working double time. And evening jogging will help you to recover, paradoxically, relax and be more stress-resistant in the future. And help in this endorphins, which are produced during physical activity and provide a good mood.

• Evening is a time to be alone with your thoughts. People are more likely to rest at night and do not think about everyday responsibilities. This not only improves their mood, but also helps them get rid of external distractions to think about their own goals and desires.
• You will become more conscious about your health. After a run, it’s hard to eat carbohydrate-rich foods. On the contrary, the body is looking for something easier to recover, mainly protein foods. Running at the end of the day will help you to make the right choice and not get full at night.

Olga Begasheva

somnologist

Evening jogging is good for those who have a period of seasonal depression: the ability to work falls, bad weather presses, and the nights have become longer. In the evening after a run they will produce norepinephrine, adrenaline, dopamine and all kinds of catecholamines. These substances will help the body to tone up. If the run is not long, it will help the person fight migraines and dysphoria. In general, evening jogging is a kind of antidepressant.

Can evening jogging do any harm?

In terms of physiology, there are no dangers. But it is important not to forget about your psychological state and do not force yourself to go jogging. Many runners find that the hardest thing is to make themselves pack up and leave the house, and after running you can find motivation for a long day at the office.

Although evening is the best time to exercise, it is absolutely not suitable for mental exertion. Therefore, instead of paperwork, psychologists recommend choosing light workouts and jogging for short distances.

How does evening jogging affect sleep?

Often in social networks you can find the opinion that evening jogging improves the quality of sleep. But are they suitable for those who have had a busy day, suffer from chronic stress or go to an extremely demanding job? Of course not. These people need to rest in the evening, otherwise they will feel bad after a run and will not be able to sleep.

Olga Begasheva

somnologist

I do not recommend jogging before going to bed, because a person is greatly overexcited, as he produces cortisol. It is better to replace evening jogging with 30-minute monotonous walking, without bending over. This type of exercise helps to move the brain from the state of activity to the mode of rest and calmness.

Walking improves falling asleep and the quality of sleep. Also, do not postpone strength training in the gym for the evening, because cortisol by the end of the day is used up and it should be saved.