Cannot sleep after exercise
Many sports activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase blood pressure. No wonder you can't sleep for a few hours after exercising. With calming teas, breathing exercises or relaxation techniques, you shut down your nervous system in order to slip into a restful sleep.
Why you cannot sleep after exercising
If you run, do team sports, weight training, or other sports in the evening, you may have trouble sleeping. Above all, disturbances in falling asleep are common. There are reasons for that.
- The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system and prepares the body to fight, flight and survival. Of the Blood pressure increases, adrenaline is released and blood is directed to the muscles. All of this enables maximum physical performance, which in an emergency can make the difference between life and death. The parasympathetic nervous system is its opponent and is responsible for rest, relaxation, eating and digestion.
- Sport activates the sympathetic nervous system. Some sports do this more than others. This includes sports that are physically demanding, such as strength training or long running tours. Exercise has the same effect on the body stress sets, like martial arts or competitive sports.
- With yoga, Pilates, hiking tours or other sports that are moderately strenuous and none Have a competitive aspect, the sympathetic nervous system is not activated and you can soon after exercising sleep. Yoga even activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This applies to yoga in the classic form with relaxation phases and in a meditative state of mind. Athletic power yoga has a similar effect on the nervous system as other strenuous or exciting sports.
- It can take the body up to three hours to shut down after a strenuous exercise. Sport in the evening is only recommended if you can still find your well-deserved rest at night.
- Quieter sports, such as yoga, Pilates or hiking, lead to fewer sleep disorders - the opposite is the case. The same applies to sports that are moderately strenuous and release happiness hormones, such as dancing.
Many children cannot be calmed down in the evening. You don't want to fall asleep, you are ...
In general, regular exercise encourages that sleep. You have to "come down" long enough after exciting and strenuous exercise before you can go into the bed walk.
Measures after exercise and before sleep
The training times are often in the evenings because people who work have the best time in the evenings. If you cannot sleep after your workout, try one of the following.
- You can balance your nervous system with a simple breathing exercise. Lie in bed so that there is enough space above your head for your outstretched arms. Inhale deeply and slowly into your stomach and, while exhaling just as slowly, bring your straight arms over your head and down to the floor. As you inhale, bring your arms back to your sides. Repeat the exercise several times.
- Nerve tea calms the nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. Before going to sleep, drink a cup of calming tea, for example lemon balm, valerian or passion flower tea. In the pharmacy or health food store you can get ready-mixed calming teas that contain plants such as hops or chamomile. When dosing, note the information on the tea.
- Meditating also has a means of calming down and shutting down. If you have no practice in meditating, try simple breathing meditation. Breathe in and out calmly and concentrate on each breath. Feel the air brush by your nostrils and into your lungs.
- You can also use relaxation techniques to calm down after exercising and before going to bed. Autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobson are well suited. Autogenic training, however, affects the mind more than PMR. You will learn both procedures in several weeks and then apply them independently.
Sufficient sleep is important for regeneration after exercise - otherwise there is a risk of overtraining, in which you lose weight instead of becoming fitter. If you can't move to mid-morning, calm down before bed to combat insomnia. If you as a runner are independent of time, lace up your running shoes in the morning to jog through the park fresh and without a heavy meal in your stomach.
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