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The Best Time to Exercise Before Bed

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The Best Time to Exercise Before Bed

There are some logical things we know to be true: working out is tiring. And being tired helps you fall asleep. But exercise before bed can sometimes have the opposite effect. I have personal experience with this: At one point I was attending a kickboxing class after work at least two nights a week. They were the kind of sessions where you were gasping, willing the seconds to tick by so you could stop and rest. I was all showered and changed by 8:30 p.m. and tucked into bed by 11:30 p.m., where I’d lie wide awake, humming with unwanted energy.

The relationship between exercise and sleep is a complicated one, so I consulted experts to see what they have to say about the best time to exercise before bed. Professor Kevin Morgan founded the Loughborough University Clinical Sleep Research Unit 20 years ago and has made sleep the focus of his work. He says many elite athletes are not experiencing the deep slumber you would imagine.

“Athletes sleep badly, elite athletes sleep worst of all, their bodies ache, their muscles twitch, they’re kind of wired people anyway,” Morgan says. “The route to good sleep is not to train like an elite athlete.”

The guidance around when to exercise before bed depends on two factors; the intensity and regularity of your workout. Professor Morgan confirms my post martial-arts insomnia was not unusual: exercises destroy your ability to doze off.

“Absolutely intense levels of activity are not the path to great sleep,” Morgan says. “It’s not uncommon for people with chronic insomnia who say ‘I’ve tried everything’ to include in ‘everything’ intense activity. The relationship between sleep and exercise is not linear.”

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Morgan says the research about when to exercise has shifted slightly. The rule has traditionally been to avoid exerting yourself for three hours before attempting sleep, but now it’s thought more gentle activity can be carried out much later.

“If you’re a serious runner and you’re going to do 10K, you’re best not doing it an hour before you go to bed,” says Morgan. “It will take that long for your body to cool down—but something more modest will not do you any harm.”

Fitness

Should You Exercise In The Morning Or Evening? Deepika Padukone’s Trainer Weighs In

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Should You Exercise In The Morning Or Evening? Deepika Padukone’s Trainer Weighs In

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Yasmin Karachiwala, who has trained Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt, revealed if one should work out in the morning or evening for best results.

Consistency is more important than workout timing.

Consistency is more important than workout timing.

For anyone trying to stay fit, finding time to exercise often feels like the biggest workout of all. Between work meetings, social plans, and family responsibilities, sticking to a consistent routine can be challenging. And amid all the wellness advice flooding social media, one debate never seems to end – what’s the best time to exercise: morning or evening?

Celebrity fitness trainer Yasmin Karachiwala, who has shaped the physiques of stars like Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, and Preity Zinta, recently reignited the conversation. She asked her followers a simple but relatable question: “Are you team Morning or team Evening?”

Why Timing Matters Less Than Consistency

According to Yasmin, there’s no universal ‘best’ time to work out. It’s about what fits you. Morning workouts appeal to early risers who enjoy starting their day on an energising note. Exercising first thing can boost mood, metabolism, and mental clarity. But for others, evenings are when their body feels warmer, stronger, and more flexible, making strength or endurance workouts more effective.

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Food timing is another key factor. Some prefer training on an empty stomach, while others need a light pre-workout meal for an energy lift. And then there’s environment – some thrive in the hustle of a busy gym, others focus better in quieter spaces. Yasmin’s take: it’s about listening to your body’s rhythm, not forcing it into someone else’s routine.

The Power Of Showing Up

What truly defines success, Yasmin insists, is consistency. Whether it’s 6 a.m. Pilates or a 7 p.m. spin class, regularity beats perfection. “The best time is whenever you can stay consistent and enjoy it,” she emphasises. Her approach, honed over decades of training Bollywood’s fittest, prioritises longevity over quick fixes. Workouts are tailored not just for aesthetics but for balance by improving posture, flexibility, and mental wellness alongside strength.

Fitness That Fits Your Life

For those still caught between sunrise runs and post-work gym sessions, Yasmin’s advice offers freedom: stop overthinking the clock. What matters most is that your workout feels sustainable and enjoyable.

In a world obsessed with trends, her philosophy cuts through the noise. Fitness isn’t about finding the perfect hour; it’s about showing up, every day, in whatever hour works for you.

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Scientists just debunked a popular exercise myth and the truth might surprise you – Metabolic

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Scientists just debunked a popular exercise myth and the truth might surprise you – Metabolic

You’ve probably heard the claim that too much exercise “uses up” your heartbeats, as if the heart were a battery with a limited charge. New research says the opposite is true. A fit heart actually beats less over time, making each beat more efficient and possibly adding years to your life.

A team from Australia’s Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research found that physically active people use fewer total heartbeats per day than those who are sedentary. Here, we’ll look at what the researchers discovered, how it challenges a long-standing health myth, and what it means for your heart, longevity, and fitness habits.

Exercise myth debunked: the truth about heartbeats

The study, published in JACC: Advances, compared the daily heart activity of trained athletes and inactive adults. The difference was striking. On average, athletes’ hearts beat about 68 times per minute, while non-athletes clocked in around 76. Over 24 hours, that’s roughly 97,920 beats for the active group and 109,440 for the inactive—a savings of more than 11,000 beats a day for fitter individuals.

Professor Andre La Gerche, head of the HEART Laboratory at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, explained that this efficiency is what sets a fit heart apart. “Even though athletes’ hearts work harder during exercise, their lower resting rates more than make up for it”, he said. In other words, your heart doesn’t wear out from regular workouts—it gets stronger and smarter.

Participants with the highest fitness levels had resting heart rates as low as 40 beats per minute, compared to the typical 70–80 bpm seen in most adults. Despite bursts of intense activity, their total daily heartbeats remained lower overall. This finding directly challenges the old “finite heartbeats” theory that exercise depletes the body’s limited energy supply.

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“The fitter you are, the more metabolically efficient your body becomes”, La Gerche said. “Even if you’re training hard for an hour a day, your heart beats more slowly for the other 23 hours”. That lower resting rate is linked with better cardiovascular function, reduced disease risk, and longer lifespan.

The biggest improvement, according to La Gerche, comes from going from unfit to moderately fit. Just a few hours of regular activity a week can make a measurable difference in how efficiently your heart works.

Other exercise myths worth forgetting

Here are a few other common misconceptions that science continues to dismantle:

  • You have to work out hard every day to see results. Rest and recovery are part of training. Muscles repair and strengthen when you give them time to recover.
  • Cardio is all you need for heart health. Strength training, mobility work, and flexibility exercises also support heart function and metabolic health.
  • Morning workouts are always better. The best time to exercise is when you can do it consistently.
  • Sweating means you’re burning more calories. Sweat is about cooling your body, not a measure of fat loss or workout effectiveness.

Exercise doesn’t burn through your heartbeats—it helps you use them wisely. A strong heart beats slower, lasts longer, and keeps you healthier. Fitness is about training your body to use it efficiently.

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Give Back Monday: how RyzAb0ve Fitness is making exercise fun

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Give Back Monday: how RyzAb0ve Fitness is making exercise fun

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) — RyzAb0ve Fitness is a Charlotte non-profit, providing inclusive group exercise classes, obstacle challenge events, and social events for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Their programs are designed to build physical strength and friendships at the same time.

They also organize social events and outings like dinners, bowling, and trips to sporting events to help build meaningful connections between our athletes and instructors.

Co-founder and Executive Director, Ryan Bost said they offer classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Hive Fitness, as well as other class times.

Athletes and volunteers who want to get involved can visit their website to learn more.

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