After a night of bad sleep, the day passes very hard: your body feels tired and exhausted, and your head feels foggy. Even thinking clearly and clearly is difficult, let alone physical activity. You’re tempted to put off your workout altogether. Or is there a variant for such cases as well?
The Australian researchers reckon that, yes, even in such situations, it is possible to exercise productively. Just set your workout to start the day, and focus on your stamina and strength.
Don’t miss out on the type of workout
After studying the effects of one night of poor sleep (less than 6 hours) on the physical performance of 77 participants, the research team found that poor sleep impairs most sports performance (e.g. speed, kicking a ball).
By assessing participants’ performance on a percentage scale, the researchers concluded that after a poor night’s sleep, more complex skills (such as ball handling exercises) were reduced by 23%, endurance by 8%, and strength by 5%. Lack of sleep thus reduced the ability of some subjects too, for example, playing tennis or volleyball more than the running or strength exercises of other participants. Yes, the more you use your brain during a workout, and the longer it lasts, the harder it will be for you afterward.
Choosing the time to workout is equally important
Typically, the negative effects of sleep deprivation increase as the day progresses, so it’s the morning workout that will help minimize the effects of poor sleep. During the morning workout, subjects’ performance was reduced by 14%, while the evening workout was reduced by 23%. In addition, performance improved when waking up too early compared to going to bed too late.
This pattern is related to the body’s circadian rhythms. It is only natural that we are more awake during daylight hours and tired in the evening. With morning light in the window, our body produces energy – adrenaline, and the chemical adenosine – the body’s sleeping agent – is at its lowest level at this time of day and gradually increases as the day progresses.
One bad night should not be a reason to cancel a workout. If you do not have the opportunity to exercise in the morning, it may be worth skipping exercises or ball games and concentrating on strength or endurance training.
