Naps and Late Evening work-outs

[pseudo_vegan]

Would it be "bad" if I came home and napped after work, then went to the gym around 9 P.M.? I wake up around 5:30 A.M. to get ready for work, so would the nap in the afternoon help supplement the approximate 6 hours of actual "night-sleep" I'd get? I don't want to mess up my Claymation rhythms or anything (that's a joke) so...yeah.

When I was going to the weight-room on campus, I would go mid-morning from work. But alas, the new gym is probably 15 minutes or so away, and I don't want to upset my boss by cutting into my work-time too much.

Does anyone else have this pattern? If so, how do you feel? If it's a bad idea, can anyone explain? I really want to work out and I'm excited to go to the gym but I'm just not a big fan of LOTS of people (i.e. during "peak" hours)...

:nigel: Cheers!

[The Rev]

The only way you can know for sure is to give it a try, and see how it works for you. After all, everyone's body is different.

The only problem associated with working out late that I know of is sleep trouble. Exercise can raise your metabolic rate (hence the boost of energy after a moderate workout) and this can affect your ability to go to sleep, and stay asleep, if you work out right before bed. Of course, there are those who swear by a workout before bed, too, as it tires them out. So, like I said before, you should just try it and see.

As for my own experience, I tend to work out after work (6pm or so) but have worked out later in the past with no great problems sleeping.

Hope that helped.

:sunny:

The Rev

[Christy]

I'm not sure about the napping part (I couldn't take a nap if I tried), but I work out some time between 4:30 and 6:30 in the afternoon, then take a shower. I read somewhere that showering or bathing in the evening helps your rythms (what the heck are they called?) because you raise your body temperature, then it slowly lowers, which should help you wind down for sleep.

[pseudo_vegan]

Claymation rhythms...

:stinkeye:

Circadian. Methinks that's how you spell it. And Rev, thanks for the reply :)

:nigel: Cheers!

[SeaSiren]

You could try it. I do agree however, that you may find it disrupting your sleep.

I workout after work at about 6:30 and am home by 8-8:30. Eat dinner and am in bed by Midnight. Sometimes it is hard to wind down, but morning workouts are very unproductive for me, I can't lift near the weight and am groggy...an accident waiting to happen if I am too sleepy to use proper form. On the weekend I like to work out around 2PM, that seems to be the best time for me.

Glad to see your fitting it in!

[remilard]

The thing I would worry about is that you will probably wake up with more lactic acid buildup (ie soreness) than usual because you won't have an opportunity to burn some of it off as it accumulates.

[pseudo_vegan]

The thing I would worry about is that you will probably wake up with more lactic acid buildup (ie soreness) than usual because you won't have an opportunity to burn some of it off as it accumulates.

Hmm...and that's never good :no:

Grr. But SeaSiren makes a good point with the whole 'groggy' thing, affecting form, etc...well. I crapped out last night and this morning at any rate so...bleh :(

:nigel: N/C for that.

[catswym]

in general i don't think it's good to go to bed right after a workout for the soreness issue alone.

can you work out right after work, instead of the nap and then go to bed a bit earlier to get more sleep?

[pseudo_vegan]

in general i don't think it's good to go to bed right after a workout for the soreness issue alone.

can you work out right after work, instead of the nap and then go to bed a bit earlier to get more sleep?

My deal with that (and it's completely selfish and stupid, I know), is that I really don't like a lot of people...and right after work (the typical 4/5 P.M.) I know it will be PACKED...

And for the time being I don't have a gym partner to go with; I have mild social-anxiety so going alone to a crowded gym doesn't sound appealing on different levels.

I think I'm going to try and work something out with my boss to take my workout time in the mid-afternoons or something...ehhhhhhh :|

:nigel: Cheers.