As our lives go on, it’s hard to take out time for everything. Whether you’re involved in your work, studies, or household responsibilities, the lack of time can be a difficult thing to cope with. As a result, many of us will try to get our workout session done at night.

However, as many of us might know, a post-workout session can be a brutal melting pot of different reactions like excessive sweating, heavy breathing, increased adrenaline flow, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. This cocktail of all kinds of different stimuli makes it near impossible to go to bed.

Even if you do somehow manage to fall asleep, there’s a high chance that you might wake up in the middle of the night with severe discomfort. This results in a bad night’s sleep where you don’t feel rested in the slightest. It’s enough to put you in a tricky situation where you have to either value your fitness or value your sleep.

Fortunately, there are ways for you to get a good night’s rest after a workout. There are many topics discussed on sleep tips online, here I would like to share my own experience to make sure your workout session doesn’t interfere with your sleep patterns. This will enable you to sleep comfortably without sacrificing your precious workout routine.

Take a Bath Before Going to Bed

Your workout can leave you drenched in sweat and bad body odor. This makes it uncomfortable to properly fall asleep. You can mitigate this by taking a bath right before going to sleep. This will ensure that you go to bed feeling clean, relaxed, and refreshed.

You can also change things up by taking a hot bath which will help loosen up your tense post-workout muscles. If you wish, you can create a more relaxing atmosphere by lighting scented candles and using bubble baths or bath bombs.

Try to Split Your Workout Routine

You might not be able to reschedule your workout to any other time of the day, but you can complete it in small sessions. Try to see if you can split your workout routine into smaller chunks that you do throughout the day. This way, you will be able to complete your workout during the day even if you’re otherwise busy. By doing this, you will avoid having to carry out your workout at night. This will prevent any kind of post-workout insomnia and help you sleep much better.

Stay Hydrated and Well-Fed

The two basic resources that your workout session can burn through are water and calories. Having a deficiency of any of these can hamper a good night’s rest. Try to make sure you keep your water requirement in check by drinking a good amount of water after exercising. You should also make a habit of eating properly to recover your lost energy as well as resupply salts and minerals that you might’ve lost.

Avoid Anything Stimulating

There are certain things that can keep you awake if you have them right before bed. Caffeine is one of these substances. You might want to avoid anything with caffeine in it like coffee, health supplements, or protein powders with caffeine. You should also try to avoid alcohol as much as possible as it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and REM sleep. While alcohol might make you fall asleep quicker, you will feel much more restless and tired after you wake up.

Minimize Your Stress Levels

Stress is a leading cause of the lack of post-workout sleep. Whatever stress you carry from your job, school, or personal engagements will severely affect your ability to sleep. Try to relax as much as possible and avoid thinking about anything that can make you feel stressed. Some light meditation can help with this and get you in the proper mood to fall asleep quicker. If your stress levels are persistent, you should consider seeking therapy.

Make Your Sleep Environment Comfortable

There’s nothing like a hot, damp room or lumpy bed to hinder any chance of sleeping peacefully. In order for you to sleep better, you will have to make your sleeping environment more comfortable. This can include having your room at an optimal temperature or changing your bedding. Try to open a window to let fresh air in and reduce humidity. You can also use an air conditioner to make your room more bearable. You can even change your mattress, bedsheets, or pillows if they’re worn out. This will help achieve a better post-workout slumber.