Spend your mornings slamming the snooze button and zombie-walking to the nearest coffee machine? We’ll venture a guess that your workouts typically happen in the evening hours. And you’re not alone—26% of people prefer to exercise in the evening. But you might have heard the rumor that nighttime workouts can disrupt sleep, making them inferior to morning exercise. Is there any truth to this, or is it just early bird propaganda?

We set out to find the truth about evening workouts from two health experts, helping you better understand how timing might affect your fitness gains. 

The Experts

• Adam Brockman, DC, ND, owner of Complete Wellness and co-host of The Dr. Bob Martin radio show, America's #1 health talk radio show
• Jeff Kreher, MD, FAAP, IFMCP, board-certified internist, sports medicine specialist, and functional medicine provider at PALM Health

Does Evening Exercise Affect Sleep? 

According to our experts, the answer is nuanced and varies from person to person. “The effect of evening exercise on sleep is highly variable and individualized,” says Dr. Kreher. But generally speaking, working out in the evening hours can actually improve your sleep quality, so long as it’s not too close to bedtime. 

“Exercising in the evening can sharpen deep sleep for some, but if workouts run too close to bedtime, the adrenaline and body heat can delay sleep onset,” clarifies Dr. Brockman. “The impact varies—experimenting with timing is key, since everyone’s sleep response is different.”

Dr. Kreher agrees: “Sleep can be improved by increasing one's body temperature followed by sleeping in a cool environment (due to faster sleep onset, deeper sleep stages, and fewer night awakenings). However, if the heart rate and adrenaline are too elevated at bedtime, this can impair sleep onset and maintenance.”

The Stridekick Sleep Shop: Tools for Better Zzzs

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The Pros and Cons of PM Workouts

Like anything, nighttime exercise has perks and drawbacks. We asked our experts about the most crucial ones to consider as you time your workout routine. 

The Pros

“Working out in the evening isn’t just convenient, it might actually supercharge recovery, balance stress hormones, and unleash your best performance,” says Dr. Brockman. 

Here’s how: “Evening workouts can capitalize on your body’s natural temperature rise and flexibility peak, making muscles more pliable and recovery smoother. Counterintuitively, late exercise may help normalize stress hormones and clear excess cortisol, potentially resetting metabolism and reducing post-work anxiety,” says Dr. Brockman. 

“I've found that evening workouts are also the secret weapon for busy professionals and night owls,” he adds. “The science says your body’s power and flexibility peak later in the day—so a post-sundown, post-dinner, post-workday fitness routine allows you to expend your accumulated daily stresses and increase your metabolism.”

According to Dr. Kreher, “Despite the concerns for interference of sleep, athletes may experience better sleep, decreased excess energy, or a reduction in anxiety and the ‘thinking mind’ post evening exercise.”

The Cons

We’ve already touched on the fact that intense exercise too close to bedtime may prolong the time it takes you to fall asleep. Aside from this, Dr. Kreher notes that evening exercise presents potential social cons, including less time to spend with loved ones and unwind after daily tasks. 

“Evening exercise can [also] cause nutritional challenges and abdominal discomfort in some. Most importantly, evening exercise has the potential to interfere with the most important performance-enhancing activity, which is recovery,” says Dr. Kreher. 

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How Soon Before Bedtime Should You Stop Working Out?

Dr. Kreher recommends completing any evening exercise at least one to two hours before bedtime, allowing your heart to return to a normal resting rate. “Recommendations should still be individualized to each athlete's response and experience,” adds Dr. Kreher. 

Expert Tips for Evening Exercisers

Night owls, you don’t have to fight your instincts: We’ve learned that evening exercise can benefit your routine and even help you sleep more deeply, so long as it’s strategically timed. Here are tips from our experts to help you make the most of it:

• Choose low to moderate-intensity activities (e.g., brisk walking, yoga, light cycling) if exercising closer to bedtime,” says Dr. Kreher. Dr. Brockman adds, “Swapping high-intensity work for steady-state, rhythmic movement late at night helps ease the transition to sleep.”
• “Include a longer cool-down period and post-exercise relaxation (e.g., stretching, deep breathing),” says Dr. Kreher. 
• “If exercising outdoors, ensure safety with lighted areas or appropriate clothing including reflective gear,” says Dr. Kreher. 
• “Expose yourself to dim lighting post-exercise,” says Dr. Brockman. The Twilight Red Light Bulb from our Shop makes it easy by eliminating all blue and green light, preventing suppressed melatonin production. 
• “Focus on a pre-bedtime ritual that relaxes the body and prepares for restorative sleep—including deep breathing, meditation, and aromatherapy,” says Dr. Kreher.
• “Avoid workouts that require significant refueling and eating less than two hours from bedtime,” says Dr. Kreher. 
• “Track your sleep quality and quantity and make changes based on your body's response, which should also include your resting or morning heart rate if possible,” says Dr. Kreher. 
• “Assess your body's response and look for variables that can change your response to evening exercise like other external acute or chronic stressors,” says Dr. Kreher. 

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