Hacker News Reader

Comment by vmh1928 | Hacker News Reader

vmh1928·

My theory is that anaerobic exercise, like squats, uses up ATP in the muscles. To replenish the ATP, muscle cells pull glucose from the bloodstream thus lowering your blood sugar level which leaves you feeling relaxed. If done prior to sleeping it can help you sleep through the night rather than wake up at 2am. There may be other benefits as well. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

View on HN

I think at least one study has shown that strenuous exercise before sleep is not good for your sleep.

This is conjecture--but there might be a difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise in this case.

What does before mean in this context? Half hour or 2-3 hours? Unwinding is necessary and half hour is not enough.

When I do it it's not strenuous. With dumbbells. Arm lifts (to the side and front) and military press using 5lb, bent over rows with 20lb, curls with 5lb, shoulder shrugs with 20, squats with 20. Followed by laying on the floor dumbbell presses with 20lb and pushups. Some sit ups too.

This has been my personal experience as well.

Anything that raises your body temperature is not good before sleep.

Your body temperature has to actually drop a bit lower from normal before all your regular sleep cycles can kick in.

I remember reading somewhere that your brain receives a disproportionate amount of blood flow (in terms of ratio of total volemia) when exercising.

This adaptation means that when you work out you increase blood flow to your muscles _and_ brain, this would have made sense in a primordial scenario where you would be hunting or fighting for your life.

The positive benefits described in the link could just be a cascade of consequences from this increased blood flow and exchanges.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com