What Happens to Your Sleep When You Exercise at Night

If you want it to help even more, consider taking your daytime workout outdoors. Exposure to sunlight—particularly in the morning—is linked to higher quality sleep.

If the only time you have to exercise is shortly before bed, don’t assume your sleep is doomed. “The sleep-disturbing effect is not like, ‘And then you get no sleep.’ It’s like, ‘Your sleep’s a bit less efficient,’” Capodilupo says. She suggests thinking of a hard evening workout as putting you on a trajectory toward disrupted sleep. But there’s a lot you can do to change course. 

Sleep physician Dr. Cheri D. Mah coaches professional athletes, who often have to play evening games. Her advice after games is to practice breathing exercises, which activate the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” system that primes the body for sleep. She also recommends developing a wind-down routine with activities including light yoga, reading a book, or journaling, while dimming the lights and avoiding screens and other stimulating activities. Even if something like a 10-minute meditation means you hop into bed later, getting the body into a calm state can help you fall asleep faster once you’re actually between the sheets, Capodilupo adds.